Amanda Knox, who was previously exonerated for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher in 2007, has been re-convicted of slander in Italy. The verdict came as a surprise to Knox, who maintains her innocence. The slander charge stems from allegations she made against her former boss, Patrick Lumumba.
Amanda Knox, the American woman who was previously exonerated for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher in 2007, has been re-convicted of slander in Italy. The verdict came as a surprise to Knox, who maintains her innocence.
Knox was convicted Wednesday by the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome. She was found guilty of slandering her former boss, bar owner Patrick Lumumba, whom she says she was coerced into accusing of murder during the investigation into Kercher's death.
The slander charge stemmed from a statement Knox gave to police in 2007, in which she said she had seen Lumumba near the crime scene on the night of the murder. Knox later recanted her statement, saying she had been coerced by police.
Lumumba sued Knox for slander, and in 2019, a lower court found her guilty and sentenced her to three years in prison. Knox appealed the verdict, but her appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court.
Knox has denied the slander charge, saying she did not knowingly accuse Lumumba of a crime. She said she was under intense pressure from police when she made the statement and that she was confused and disoriented.
The re-conviction of Knox has drawn criticism from some legal experts, who say the verdict is unjust. They argue that Knox was coerced into making the statement against Lumumba and that she should not be held responsible for it.
Knox's supporters have also expressed outrage at the verdict, saying it is a miscarriage of justice. They argue that Knox has been through enough after being wrongly convicted of murder and that she should not be punished further.
The re-conviction of Knox is a reminder of the tragic events that unfolded in Perugia, Italy, in 2007. Kercher, a British exchange student, was brutally murdered in the apartment she shared with Knox. Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were initially convicted of the murder, but both were later acquitted.
Knox has since returned to the United States, where she lives with her husband and two children. She has written a book about her experiences and has become an advocate for criminal justice reform.
