American exchange student Amanda Knox has been reconvicted of slander in Italy for falsely accusing an innocent man of involvement in the murder of her roommate. The initial guilty verdict from 2015 was overturned in 2016 but reinstated by the Court of Cassation on Wednesday.
American exchange student Amanda Knox has been reconvicted of slander in Italy for falsely accusing an innocent man of involvement in the murder of her roommate.
The 34-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison in absentia by a court in Florence on Wednesday. The charges stem from a statement Knox made to police in 2007, in which she accused Patrick Lumumba, the owner of a bar where she worked, of being involved in the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
Lumumba was arrested and held in prison for two weeks before being released without charge. He has always maintained his innocence and has fought to clear his name.
Knox was convicted of slander in 2015 but the verdict was overturned on appeal in 2016. The Court of Cassation, Italy's highest court, reinstated the conviction on Wednesday, ruling that the original verdict was "correct and well-founded."
Knox has denied the slander charges and has said that she was coerced into making the statement to police. She is not expected to return to Italy to serve her sentence.
The slander conviction is the latest chapter in a long-running legal saga for Knox. She was convicted of murdering Kercher in 2007 but the verdict was overturned on appeal in 2011.
Knox has always maintained her innocence and has said that she was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. She has written a book about her experience and has become an advocate for criminal justice reform.
The slander conviction is a setback for Knox and her supporters. It is a reminder that she is still considered a criminal in Italy, despite being acquitted of murder.
The case has also raised questions about the Italian justice system. Critics say that it is too slow and inefficient and that it is too willing to convict innocent people.
Supporters of Knox say that the slander conviction is a further example of the injustice that she has faced. They say that she is being punished for a crime that she did not commit.
The slander conviction is likely to be appealed by Knox's lawyers. It is unclear how long the appeal process will take.
