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| The college lovers on trial for murder | The college lovers on trial for murder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Julian Joyce BBC News Amanda and Raffaele had known each other for 2 weeks before the murder | By Julian Joyce BBC News Amanda and Raffaele had known each other for 2 weeks before the murder |
| It was one of the most incongruous images in a sordid and disturbing murder case. | It was one of the most incongruous images in a sordid and disturbing murder case. |
| Two young students - Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito - kiss and embrace outside an Italian police station, seemingly oblivious to the investigation about to engulf them. | Two young students - Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito - kiss and embrace outside an Italian police station, seemingly oblivious to the investigation about to engulf them. |
| Now, 14 months later, both are standing trial for the killing of British woman Meredith Kercher. | Now, 14 months later, both are standing trial for the killing of British woman Meredith Kercher. |
| The body of Meredith, an exchange student at the University of Perugia, was discovered half-naked in the bedroom of her shared house. Her throat had been cut. | The body of Meredith, an exchange student at the University of Perugia, was discovered half-naked in the bedroom of her shared house. Her throat had been cut. |
| An acquaintance - Rudy Hermann Guede, originally from the Ivory Coast - has already been convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. | An acquaintance - Rudy Hermann Guede, originally from the Ivory Coast - has already been convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. |
| Seattle-born Amanda, 22, and Raffaele, 25, from the southern Italian city of Giovinazzo, have both denied involvement in Meredith's death. | Seattle-born Amanda, 22, and Raffaele, 25, from the southern Italian city of Giovinazzo, have both denied involvement in Meredith's death. |
| Middle-class | Middle-class |
| But how did these bright, middle-class young people with their lives ahead of them end up being charged with such a grim murder and, after more than a year in custody, what is likely to be their defence? | But how did these bright, middle-class young people with their lives ahead of them end up being charged with such a grim murder and, after more than a year in custody, what is likely to be their defence? |
| According to Raffaele's letter to an Italian magazine, the pair met at a concert just two weeks before the murder. | According to Raffaele's letter to an Italian magazine, the pair met at a concert just two weeks before the murder. |
| They became an item. Both have admitted a fondness for marijuana - a drug they blamed for their inability to recall their movements on the night Meredith died. | They became an item. Both have admitted a fondness for marijuana - a drug they blamed for their inability to recall their movements on the night Meredith died. |
| Although from different countries, Amanda and Raffaele appear to come from similar comfortable, middle-class backgrounds. | Although from different countries, Amanda and Raffaele appear to come from similar comfortable, middle-class backgrounds. |
| Amanda's family - who term themselves "typically American" - helped fund their daughter's year in Italy in order to further her Italian, German and creative writing studies. Even the thought that she (Amanda) could be a killer is impossible for me Raffaele Sollecito | Amanda's family - who term themselves "typically American" - helped fund their daughter's year in Italy in order to further her Italian, German and creative writing studies. Even the thought that she (Amanda) could be a killer is impossible for me Raffaele Sollecito |
| Their savings have now largely gone, according to Amanda's father Curt Knox. | Their savings have now largely gone, according to Amanda's father Curt Knox. |
| He has said the family will have "literally nothing" after paying for a team of lawyers, forensic experts, investigators and a media advisor in a bid to prove their daughter's innocence. | He has said the family will have "literally nothing" after paying for a team of lawyers, forensic experts, investigators and a media advisor in a bid to prove their daughter's innocence. |
| Raffaele's family - his father is a urologist - was wealthy enough to buy their student son a flat in Perugia. | Raffaele's family - his father is a urologist - was wealthy enough to buy their student son a flat in Perugia. |
| It is the same flat that Amanda now claims she spent the night in when Meredith was murdered - reports of her initial statement to police originally placed her at the scene of the crime. | It is the same flat that Amanda now claims she spent the night in when Meredith was murdered - reports of her initial statement to police originally placed her at the scene of the crime. |
| Details began emerging of Amanda's private life - her "Foxy Knoxy" nickname, the drug taking and claims she slept with several men after she arrived in Italy. | Details began emerging of Amanda's private life - her "Foxy Knoxy" nickname, the drug taking and claims she slept with several men after she arrived in Italy. |
| In letters from his jail cell, her boyfriend wrote: "The Amanda I know...lives a carefree life." | In letters from his jail cell, her boyfriend wrote: "The Amanda I know...lives a carefree life." |
| "Her only thought is the pursuit of pleasure," wrote Raffaele to his father. | "Her only thought is the pursuit of pleasure," wrote Raffaele to his father. |
| "But," he adds, "even the thought that she could be a killer is impossible for me."Amanda excelled at school studies and sports, according to friends | "But," he adds, "even the thought that she could be a killer is impossible for me."Amanda excelled at school studies and sports, according to friends |
| Reporters descended on Amanda's home city of Seattle in search of more details of her private life. | Reporters descended on Amanda's home city of Seattle in search of more details of her private life. |
| They discovered that the Washington University student had been arrested and fined in 2007 for her role in a drunken party that police were called to. | They discovered that the Washington University student had been arrested and fined in 2007 for her role in a drunken party that police were called to. |
| A picture began to be painted of a "party girl" who abused drink and drugs and had an active sex life. | A picture began to be painted of a "party girl" who abused drink and drugs and had an active sex life. |
| Tabloid interest intensified after it emerged that Amanda had written a short story on a social networking site about a young man who drugs and rapes a young girl. | Tabloid interest intensified after it emerged that Amanda had written a short story on a social networking site about a young man who drugs and rapes a young girl. |
| In it, one character remarks: "A thing you have to know about chicks is that they don't know what they want." What also makes it interesting is there is a genuine mystery about what happened, and the sex Frank Sfarzo, Italian journalist | In it, one character remarks: "A thing you have to know about chicks is that they don't know what they want." What also makes it interesting is there is a genuine mystery about what happened, and the sex Frank Sfarzo, Italian journalist |
| Apart from that story, her page on the networking site portrays a very different Amanda. | Apart from that story, her page on the networking site portrays a very different Amanda. |
| On it, she describes herself as a non-drinker and non-smoker. Her favourite pursuits include yoga and "backpacking long distances with people I know". | On it, she describes herself as a non-drinker and non-smoker. Her favourite pursuits include yoga and "backpacking long distances with people I know". |
| Among her favourite films are Shrek and The Full Monty and she likes listening to the Beatles and reading Harry Potter books. | Among her favourite films are Shrek and The Full Monty and she likes listening to the Beatles and reading Harry Potter books. |
| It was partly a desire to emphasise this aspect of their daughter's character, and counter what they term her "misrepresentation", that led Amanda's supporters in Seattle to set up a tribute website. | |
| On it, family and friends write about the "joiner" who excelled at sports and school plays; a "smart, fun, affectionate and loyal" girl who bought sandwiches for homeless people and nursed sick friends. | On it, family and friends write about the "joiner" who excelled at sports and school plays; a "smart, fun, affectionate and loyal" girl who bought sandwiches for homeless people and nursed sick friends. |
| They are optimistic that she will be freed by the Italian courts. | They are optimistic that she will be freed by the Italian courts. |
| Her father told the Seattle Times: "We will take this as far as we have to take this, because she's walking out of there totally free of anything related to this." | Her father told the Seattle Times: "We will take this as far as we have to take this, because she's walking out of there totally free of anything related to this." |
| According to alleged leaks of her prison diary, Amanda is similarly determined to maintain her innocence - and may be preparing to blame her ex-boyfriend. | According to alleged leaks of her prison diary, Amanda is similarly determined to maintain her innocence - and may be preparing to blame her ex-boyfriend. |
| She is reported to have written: "I think it is possible Raffaele went to Meredith's house, raped her, then killed her and then when when he got home, while I was sleeping, he pressed my fingerprints on the knife."Raffaele said the thought of Amanda as a killer was "impossible" | She is reported to have written: "I think it is possible Raffaele went to Meredith's house, raped her, then killed her and then when when he got home, while I was sleeping, he pressed my fingerprints on the knife."Raffaele said the thought of Amanda as a killer was "impossible" |
| Neither of their cases were helped by CCTV evidence that found its way into the Italian press, reportedly showing the pair buying sexy underwear together two days after Meredith's death. | Neither of their cases were helped by CCTV evidence that found its way into the Italian press, reportedly showing the pair buying sexy underwear together two days after Meredith's death. |
| Raffaele has blamed himself for making a "trap" with his own hands. | Raffaele has blamed himself for making a "trap" with his own hands. |
| So far, his defence has been that he was at home surfing the internet on the night of the murder - although police say his computer records do not support this. | So far, his defence has been that he was at home surfing the internet on the night of the murder - although police say his computer records do not support this. |
| He has also admitted smoking marijuana at the time. | He has also admitted smoking marijuana at the time. |
| In a letter to an Italian magazine he wrote: "One morning you return to her house and find a big mess. | In a letter to an Italian magazine he wrote: "One morning you return to her house and find a big mess. |
| "The problems begin: the police arrive, break down the locked door to a bedroom and discover the lifeless body of one of her (Amanda's) friends. | "The problems begin: the police arrive, break down the locked door to a bedroom and discover the lifeless body of one of her (Amanda's) friends. |
| "From then on they suspect everyone and everything." | "From then on they suspect everyone and everything." |
| To his father he promises: "Dad, I will never smoke another joint in my life." | To his father he promises: "Dad, I will never smoke another joint in my life." |
| For Perugia journalist Frank Sfarzo, who is writing a detailed blog on the trial, the involvement of drugs is just one factor in what he describes as a fascinating case. | For Perugia journalist Frank Sfarzo, who is writing a detailed blog on the trial, the involvement of drugs is just one factor in what he describes as a fascinating case. |
| "What also makes it interesting is there is a genuine mystery about what happened, and, of course, the sex. | "What also makes it interesting is there is a genuine mystery about what happened, and, of course, the sex. |
| "It's also because these are two young people with supporters and enemies all over the world, and the fact that it all happened in this beautiful town." | "It's also because these are two young people with supporters and enemies all over the world, and the fact that it all happened in this beautiful town." |