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Meredith accused held on remand | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Three people accused of UK student Meredith Kercher's murder are to be remanded for up to a year in Italy. | Three people accused of UK student Meredith Kercher's murder are to be remanded for up to a year in Italy. |
Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was found with her throat cut at the flat she was renting in Perugia. | Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was found with her throat cut at the flat she was renting in Perugia. |
The suspects are American student Amanda Knox, 20, her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and Congolese immigrant Lumumba Patrick Diya, 37. | The suspects are American student Amanda Knox, 20, her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and Congolese immigrant Lumumba Patrick Diya, 37. |
All protest their innocence, but an Italian investigating judge ruled that there was enough evidence to hold them. | All protest their innocence, but an Italian investigating judge ruled that there was enough evidence to hold them. |
Held in isolation | Held in isolation |
At a hearing at a prison near Perugia on Thursday, lawyers for the trio called for them to be released. | At a hearing at a prison near Perugia on Thursday, lawyers for the trio called for them to be released. |
But in a 19-page ruling, the investigating judge concluded that they should be held until a hearing is fixed to press charges. | But in a 19-page ruling, the investigating judge concluded that they should be held until a hearing is fixed to press charges. |
Three held 'all played a role' | Three held 'all played a role' |
Italian law allows judges to jail suspects without charging them if there is sufficient evidence and a chance they may flee, carry out another crime or interfere with evidence. | |
The BBC's Christian Fraser in Perugia said that all three suspects will be held in isolation. | The BBC's Christian Fraser in Perugia said that all three suspects will be held in isolation. |
According to the case presented by investigators, the suspects have all changed their stories. They said Miss Knox had an unscrupulous tendency to lie repeatedly. | |
All three suspects have denied being involved in the killing, but officers have said they are confident they call place the trio at the scene. | |
Police have said Miss Knox crumbled under interrogation and now admits having been in the next room when Leeds University student Miss Kercher was murdered last week, but covered her ears to her flatmate's screams. | |
Miss Knox has blamed Mr Diya, a bar owner, for the murder. | |
But Carlo Pacelli, Mr Diya's lawyer, said that his client had 16 alibis - including one from a university professor - who could place him in his bar at the time of the murder. | |
Mr Pacelli added that Miss Knox was lying and that Mr Diya had "slept soundly" for the previous two nights. | |
Knives | |
Lawyers for Mr Sollecito have admitted that he lied to police, saying he was at a party on the night of Miss Kercher's death. He has since said he was at his own home with Miss Knox at the time. | |
Police are examining two knives found in his possession. | Police are examining two knives found in his possession. |
Miss Knox's lawyer said she had had nothing to do with Miss Kercher's death and should be freed. | Miss Knox's lawyer said she had had nothing to do with Miss Kercher's death and should be freed. |
Miss Kercher's body was found in her bedroom on Friday morning in a pool of blood. | Miss Kercher's body was found in her bedroom on Friday morning in a pool of blood. |
Police believe she was trying to fight off a sexual attack when she was killed. | Police believe she was trying to fight off a sexual attack when she was killed. |
They do not believe the murder was premeditated but they allege each of the suspects played a role. | |
Crucial to the case will be the suspects' phone records and calls they exchanged after the murder. | Crucial to the case will be the suspects' phone records and calls they exchanged after the murder. |
Investigating officers say they have good forensic evidence, including a footprint in the blood. | |
Mr Diya had been in the country since 1988, while Mr Sollecito was a student at the local university. Miss Knox is from Seattle, Washington. |