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Raffaele Sollecito lawyer urges court to annul conviction for Meredith Kercher murder Raffaele Sollecito lawyer urges court to annul conviction for Meredith Kercher murder
(about 2 hours later)
The Italian high court judges who will determine the fate of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have begun their deliberations in the case, following a passionate last-ditch plea by Sollecito’s attorney for the conviction against the 31-year-old – whom she compared to Forrest Gump – to be dropped. The Italian high court judges who will determine the fate of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have begun their deliberations in the case, following a passionate last-ditch plea by Sollecito’s lawyer for the conviction against the 31-year-old – whom she compared to Forrest Gump – to be dropped.
Knox and Sollecito have faced justice together since they were arrested in 2007 on suspicion of murdering Meredith Kercher, a British university student who lived with Knox in Perugia while both were studying abroad.Knox and Sollecito have faced justice together since they were arrested in 2007 on suspicion of murdering Meredith Kercher, a British university student who lived with Knox in Perugia while both were studying abroad.
In a rousing closing argument that lasted nearly two hours – they are supposed to be limited to 20 minutes in the court of cassation in Rome – Giulia Bongiorno, Sollecito’s attorney, said her client had always tried to cooperate with investigators and had not been in the room where the crime was committed. In a rousing closing argument that lasted nearly two hours – they are supposed to be limited to 20 minutes in the court of cassation in Rome – Giulia Bongiorno, Sollecito’s lawyer, said her client had always tried to cooperate with investigators and had not been in the room where the crime was committed.
“During the violence he was watching cartoons [at home],” she argued. “He is an innocent who got wrapped up in spectacular and gigantic events that, like Forrest Gump, he did not fully realise. Absolve him.”“During the violence he was watching cartoons [at home],” she argued. “He is an innocent who got wrapped up in spectacular and gigantic events that, like Forrest Gump, he did not fully realise. Absolve him.”
Sollecito, who attended with his girlfriend, father and sister, was escorted out of the grand courthouse in Rome surrounded by a mob of photographers. He ducked into a waiting car and drove off.Sollecito, who attended with his girlfriend, father and sister, was escorted out of the grand courthouse in Rome surrounded by a mob of photographers. He ducked into a waiting car and drove off.
He faces immediate imprisonment and a 25-year sentence if the high court decides to uphold his earlier murder conviction. Knox faces a jail sentence of 28-and-a-half years. Both deny any wrongdoing.He faces immediate imprisonment and a 25-year sentence if the high court decides to uphold his earlier murder conviction. Knox faces a jail sentence of 28-and-a-half years. Both deny any wrongdoing.
While it would be considered unorthodox for the judges to annul the earlier convictions in either Knox or Sollecito’s case, one or both cases could be sent back to a lower court for retrial. It would be considered unorthodox for the judges to annul the earlier convictions in either Knox or Sollecito’s case, but one or both cases could be sent back to a lower court for retrial.
Bongiorno did not point the finger at Knox, but said that if the court believed that a statement the American made to police – and later retracted – was true, it meant her client was exonerated. Knox told police that she was in the house when Kercher was killed but that Sollecito was not.Bongiorno did not point the finger at Knox, but said that if the court believed that a statement the American made to police – and later retracted – was true, it meant her client was exonerated. Knox told police that she was in the house when Kercher was killed but that Sollecito was not.
The lawyer also criticised the DNA evidence in the case. Prosecutors have claimed that Sollecito’s DNA was found on a hook on Kercher’s bra, but Bongiorno said the evidence was improperly tested.The lawyer also criticised the DNA evidence in the case. Prosecutors have claimed that Sollecito’s DNA was found on a hook on Kercher’s bra, but Bongiorno said the evidence was improperly tested.
Knox’s attorneys also sought an annulment of her murder conviction during their arguments on Wednesday, the first day of the hearing. “There is not one trace of Amanda in the scene of the crime,” Carlo Dalla Vedova, her attorney said, adding that it was rife with “grave judicial errors that must be set right”. Knox has vigorously defended herself, and said in previous interviews that she would have to be dragged “kicking and screaming” back to Italy if her conviction were upheld. Knox’s lawyers also sought an annulment of her murder conviction during their arguments on Wednesday, the first day of the hearing.
“There is not one trace of Amanda in the scene of the crime,” Carlo Dalla Vedova, her lawyer said, adding that it was rife with “grave judicial errors that must be set right”.
Knox has vigorously defended herself, and said in previous interviews that she would have to be dragged “kicking and screaming” back to Italy if her conviction were upheld.
Italy is expected to seek the extradition of Knox, who is currently living in Seattle, if her conviction is upheld. The US and Italy agreed an extradition treaty in the 1980s under which both countries are supposed to comply with such requests, with few allowable exceptions.Italy is expected to seek the extradition of Knox, who is currently living in Seattle, if her conviction is upheld. The US and Italy agreed an extradition treaty in the 1980s under which both countries are supposed to comply with such requests, with few allowable exceptions.
The decision to seek the extradition would be made by Italy’s justice minister, Andrea Orlando.The decision to seek the extradition would be made by Italy’s justice minister, Andrea Orlando.
The Kercher family is not in Rome to hear the verdict, according to their lawyer. A third assailant, Rudy Guede, was convicted of murder in a separate fast-track trial in 2008. He is nearly halfway through his 16-year sentence.The Kercher family is not in Rome to hear the verdict, according to their lawyer. A third assailant, Rudy Guede, was convicted of murder in a separate fast-track trial in 2008. He is nearly halfway through his 16-year sentence.