Amanda Knox Reconvicted of Slander in Italy for Accusing Innocent Man in Roommate’s 2007 Murder
A Long Legal Battle Continues for Amanda Knox
FLORENCE, Italy — An Italian court reconvicted Amanda Knox of slander Wednesday, quashing her hope of removing a legal stain that has persisted despite her exoneration in the 2007 murder of her British roommate. The decision by a Florence appeals court marked the sixth time Knox was found guilty of wrongly accusing an innocent man, the Congolese bar owner where she worked part-time.
The Night of Intense Questioning
Knox, who was a 20-year-old university student at the time, argued that her statements were coerced during an intense night of questioning by police, who she said bullied her and took advantage of her limited Italian. Despite this, the panel of two judges and six jurors confirmed the three-year sentence, which Knox already served during her four years in Italian custody. The court’s detailed reasoning will be released in 60 days.
A Surprising Verdict
Accompanied by her husband, Christopher Robinson, Knox showed no visible emotion as the verdict was read. Her lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, expressed their disappointment and surprise at the outcome, indicating that Knox had hoped for an acquittal to end nearly 17 years of judicial proceedings. Defense lawyer Luca Luparia Donati indicated that they plan to appeal to Italy’s highest court.
A European Court Ruling and a New Trial
The new trial was initiated after a European court ruled that Italy violated Knox’s human rights during the initial overnight questioning following Meredith Kercher’s murder. Knox was deprived of both a lawyer and a competent translator at the time. Addressing the Florence court, Knox admitted to wrongly accusing Patrick Lumumba under intense police pressure, expressing regret for not being strong enough to resist.
The Impact of the Case
The murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in Perugia drew global headlines, casting suspicion on Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. The case’s high-profile nature and the flip-flop verdicts over nearly eight years polarized public opinion and made it one of the first trials by social media. Despite her exoneration and the conviction of another man, doubts about Knox’s role persisted, particularly in Italy.
Knox’s Current Life and Advocacy
Now a 36-year-old mother of two and a criminal justice reform advocate, Knox was freed in 2011 after a Perugia appeals court overturned the initial guilty verdict. She remained in the United States through further legal battles until Italy’s highest court definitively exonerated her and Sollecito in 2015.
In 2022, Italy’s highest Cassation Court ordered a new trial for the slander conviction after a judicial reform allowed cases to be reopened if human rights violations were found. The current court was directed to disregard two damaging statements Knox signed under police pressure, focusing instead on her later statement questioning the veracity of her coerced “confession.”
The Global and Personal Ramifications
Patrick Lumumba, the man Knox accused, faced significant personal and professional repercussions. Lumumba’s lawyer, Carlo Pacelli, noted that Knox’s accusation branded Lumumba across the world, impacting his business in Perugia. He has since re-established himself in Poland.
Despite Knox’s ongoing efforts to clear her name, the reconviction for slander highlights the enduring complexities and controversies surrounding this high-profile case.