Less than a month into her 26-year sentence for her involvement in the murder of Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox caused more outrage in mid-December by acting in a romantic film shot as part of a drama workshop in prison. The film’s director intended to show it at a Perugia film festival but, after protests from Meredith Kercher’s family, the plan was dropped.
This week there is more controversy over the fact that Knox has reportedly received many Christmas presents from shopkeepers in Assisi. A local woman collected the gifts for Knox, whose mother, Edda Mellas, says she cannot pass them all on to her daughter because of prison regulations. Among the gifts that Ms Mellas is allowed to take into the prison are several books in Italian.
On Tuesday Ms Mellas told BBC Radio that she longs for the day when Meredith Kercher’s parents realise that Knox is innocent because she “had nothing to do with the crime”.
Meanwhile Knox awaits the Judge’s written explanation of the guilty verdict. Without this she cannot launch her appeal, which is expected to be heard next autumn. She has said that she is “afraid but hopeful”. Shortly after she was sentenced, and in the face of much criticism of the Italian trial procedure from her own country, Knox stated that her trial had been carried out “correctly”.
In a separate development, 22-year-old Rudy Guede, whose DNA was found on Meredith Kercher’s bra strap and on a pillow in the house which the two young women shared, has had his 30-year sentence for the murder reduced to 16 years. However, he has stated that he is not happy because he is innocent.
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Dual Language St Francis of Assisi slept here - San Francesco è stato qui.
