"Foxy" Knox gets 26 years

[Tyek]

Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
PERUGIA, Italy – A jury in Italy convicted American college student Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate and sentenced her to 26 years in prison shortly after midnight Saturday.


If you read "The Monster of Venice" by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi, you would seriously question this verdict. The main prosecutor, Mignini (Spelling?) is currently under investigation for abuse of power. He is known to sue for libel anyone who questions him. He had Preston deported for daring to question his results in the Monster of Venice case and even jailed his co-author citing that he definitely protected the killers and was possibly even involved.

They found no physical evidence in this case and Mignini went after the drug and sex angle after his initial arrest fell through. In the Monster of Venice case he actually came up with the theory that there was a cabal of high ranking members of Society that operated out of an old hotel, ate body parts before sexual contacts and hired mentally challenged people to kill the victims to get the body parts. He actually won his case, created this cabal that has never been heard of before or since and then jailed or threatened everyone who questioned the verdict.

What little I have seen of the Knoz case suggests this is more of the same. Supposedly on the night of the murder, a man was seen screaming and washing his bloody hands in a fountain, yet no one ever investigated it.

How is he allowed to work while under investigation and also being thouroughly humiliated from the Monster of Florence case?

[Tyek]

Kercher's slaying became a tabloid sensation in Europe, and, during the prosecution that has followed, the spotlight has fallen squarely on Knox. Mignini, too, has become an international figure, and the subject of derision by those in Seattle who believe Knox has been wrongly targeted.

Now, according to a BBC report verified by Seattle P-I correspondent Andrea Vogt, Mignini has said he has begun a defamation action against the West Seattle Herald. Mignini told the British broadcaster that assertions by his critics that he's mentally ill were entirely without merit.

"I am quite a healthy man," Mignini told the BBC. "I don't go to the doctor much, and I have never visited a psychologist."

Requests for comment left with West Seattle Herald Managing Editor Ken Robinson were not returned Thursday.

The article in question chronicles a fundraiser held by the organization Friends of Amanda, created by supporters to help pay for her legal defense. In the passage objected to by Mignini, Herald reporter Steve Shay recounts attendees' impressions of the prosecutor.

"Amanda supporters say he is using the high-profile Amanda Knox case to improve his dicey reputation and further his career," Shay wrote. "They say some in both the American and Italian legal field believe Mignini is mentally unstable."

Mignini's sometimes outlandish theories of the attack of Kercher -- chiefly that she was ritualistically killed -- have previously drawn fire from Knox's supporters and others following the case. Still, Mignini's case against Knox and Sollecito was strong enough to move the prosecution to trial and garner the conviction of Guede.

Contrary to Mignini's accusation that Knox and Sollecito participated in Kercher's slaying, Knox's supporters say that Guede alone killed Kercher after breaking into the young women's home. Those supporters have accused Mignini of continuing the prosecution against Knox and Sollecito in an effort to save face.

Speaking Thursday, Anne Bremner, a Seattle lawyer affiliated with Friends of Amanda, questioned Mignini's motivations for threatening the community newspaper when larger news outlets have aired similar criticisms.

Bremner noted that Italian news sources have reported that Mignini has threatened criminal libel charges against the paper that would, under Italian law, force the paper to close its online site. Such a move would violate the U.S. Constitution and likely have no bearing on the paper's operations.

"You could say he's trying to chill criticism of him," Bremner said. "He's the man in Perugia, but it just doesn't work that way here."

The current spat isn't Mignini's first with American media.

Mignini threatened to jail American thriller writer Douglas Preston several years ago while Preston was researching a book critical of Mignini's handling of the hunt for a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence. Preston's co-author, Italian journalist Mario Spezi, was jailed; Mignini is accused of abusing his official powers in the case.

In the final pages of the pair's book, "The Monster of Florence," the authors accuse Mignini of "spinning an improbable theory" around Kercher's death similar to one that proved false in the Florence case.

Mignini has objected to such claims and asserted in the Italian media that there is an "American plot" to discredit him.

In some Italian circles, Mignini is still highly regarded, said Valter Biscotti, a defense attorney who represented Guede.

"Mignini is considered an optimal prosecutor," Biscotti told the P-I recently. "As a man of law and resident of Perugia, I cannot accept these unjust criticisms of Italian magistrates and the judicial system coming from Seattle."

Obviously many think he does a good job, and frankly I would say this could never happen in America. The throw an outlandish theory and watch if it sticks method, but it worked for OJ.

[Funkmasterr]

Yeah I watched a few things on court tv about this case the other night when the verdict came in. It's not the first time I've heard about how terrible the Italian Justice system is, so I wasn't as surprised. Of all the experts in the world that looked at this case and examined evidence, statements, etc, there was not a single one that thought this girl, or her boyfriend for that matter had anything to do with the murder.

I mean, the judge being on the jury? Excuse me? Not sequestering the jury while a massive smear campaign was plastered all over Italy? It was things like this, and not solid evidence that made the verdict turn out like it did. I guess a small consolation is she apparently has even more rights in Italy in concern to appeals than you do in the U.S., so there should still be hope for her and the dude, although they will have been in jail for quite some time even if a appeal turns out in their favor.

P.S. She is pretty damn hot.

[vn_Tanc]

P.S. She is pretty damn hot.

And this seems to me most of the reason people think she didn't do it.

Things don't add up? Sure. The main problem I have is that in their first story Knox and Sollecito basically fingered another guy. Turned out he had an airtight alibi and wasn't charged.

Why lie?

[Funkmasterr]

P.S. She is pretty damn hot.

And this seems to me most of the reason people think she didn't do it.

Things don't add up? Sure. The main problem I have is that in their first story Knox and Sollecito basically fingered another guy. Turned out he had an airtight alibi and wasn't charged.

Why lie?

Knox was the only one to imply that dude she worked for, and she only did so after being drilled in a interrogation room for a few days. I don't know if you've ever been interrogated, but particularly in cases like this the police are good at getting people to believe and admit to shit that isn't true.

[Aslanna]

They probably waterboarded her. As we all know that's an effective interrogation technique. TICKING BOMB SCENARIO!!!

[Nick]

They probably waterboarded her. As well all know that's an effective interrogation technique. TICKING BOMB SCENARIO!!!

Best post you've made in ages

Oh, and before we weep for the blonde American proven liar,

The victim’s parents, Arline and John, her sister, Stephanie, and her brothers, John Jr and Lyle, were in court. Yesterday Lyle Kercher said at a news conference: “We are pleased with the decision but this is not a time for celebration; it’s not a moment of triumph. We got here because our sister was brutally murdered.”

[Funkmasterr]

They probably waterboarded her. As well all know that's an effective interrogation technique. TICKING BOMB SCENARIO!!!

Best post you've made in ages

Oh, and before we weep for the blonde American proven liar,

The victim’s parents, Arline and John, her sister, Stephanie, and her brothers, John Jr and Lyle, were in court. Yesterday Lyle Kercher said at a news conference: “We are pleased with the decision but this is not a time for celebration; it’s not a moment of triumph. We got here because our sister was brutally murdered.”

Proven liar? If you actually looked at the facts and evidence presented in this case and what experts (hint: not the inept Italian hack jobs involved in this case) around the world thought of those things, and didn't let the media coverage and smear campaign bs that was so big in your neck of the woods effect you, there's no way you'd say that.

There was not one incriminating thing about this girl that was not immediately refuted with plenty of explanation by not only this girls defense, but just experts around the world that decided to follow the case for other various reasons.

[Nick]

Smear campaign in my neck of the woods? I'm not the one having a go at Italy just because some murderer has been jailed there...

[Funkmasterr]

Smear campaign in my neck of the woods? I'm not the one having a go at Italy just because some murderer has been jailed there...

My opinions haven't been formed based on what country it occurred in, nor because the girl is attractive/American. There simply were no where near enough facts/evidence presented in this case to put her in jail. There is no way in hell she would be in jail right now if things were presented exactly the way they were in the U.S.

Sorry if I don't seem to be trusting of an Italian justice system, who throughout this case (and others), has;
-completely mistreated evidence, such as the bra clasp that was kicked around the crime scene and handled by every cop that entered and thrown around for nearly a month before it was collected as "evidence".
-Pushed the girl after hours of interrogation to give them a statement that they put in her head.
-Admitted as evidence, and came to a verdict based off of a supposed weapon (the butcher knife) which was said by the experts who examined it on the stand to not be a match consistent with the wounds sustained by the victim.
-Did not sequester the jury, who is supposed to remain impartial, while a major public assassination of this girls character was taking place.


Not to mention that they have now convicted three people for this girls murder. They have not elaborated on anything related to why.. I mean, are we seriously to believe there was some kind of helter skelter thing taking place here where they all passed the knife around and shared the kill. Give me a fucking break.

P.S. I'm Sicilian, so if you were implying I may be prejudice, I hope you realize that even I'm not that conflicted

[Nick]

Well, you inherently are being swayed by media reports, how many people were done for murder in the last 24 hours on the planet..... yet just by chance the innocence of the blonde american is being assumed....

[Funkmasterr]

Well, you inherently are being swayed by media reports, how many people were done for murder in the last 24 hours on the planet..... yet just by chance the innocence of the blonde american is being assumed....

No doubt. If not for me by chance sitting with my mom for a bit while she watched Court TV, I wouldn't have heard about this. However, that does nothing to refute the overwhelming evidence that the verdict is bs. It's not as though every time you hear about an American being sentenced for murder everyone pulls the innocence card...

[Tyek]

I agree with Nick that it is terrible that a young girl was murdered and I also agree Amanda Knox made some major mistakes, but I am not willing to put someone in jail for a murder I have serious doubts she commited. We let OJ go with far more incriminating evidence.

Amanda Knox is not a saint, but its just as sad to read the articles that she was a slutty, murdering tramp. (HOW CAN A 22 YEAR OLD GIRL HAVE HAD 7!!!!!!!! LOVERS!!!!!). I personally think they invited the guy up to buy some weed, for some reason he went back with the poor girl, killed her and bailed.

Is Amanda Knox so gorgeous and amazing that she could convince a week old boyfriend and a drug dealer to hold a woman they don't know because she won't have sex with them or she was jealous.

As much as I agree she should not have fingered others, she has never said she saw the murder, never been officially fingered for it and never had any evidence she was in the room. I actually don't think she is all that hot, so maybe my views are skewed, but I have a bigger issue with a prosecutor who takes his cues from a web site psychic, finds satanic ritualistic killings in every major murder and seems to enjoy salacious sex theories when the TV is on. The guy was caught wire tapping another prosecutors office because he disagreed with him. He has threatened and sued the girls family and he is being tried for abuse of office. Why is he involved.

They solved the case and he could not claim any more of the limelight and it destroyed his original theory, so instead of admitting he was wrong, he tries to destroy more lives? Including, I might add, the lives of the poor murdered girls family who have to watch this continue to play out everyday?

[Nick]

It's definitely a very peculiar and tragic event - I didn't follow it closely enough to know the ins and outs of it in terms of Knox's guilt. Then again, it's not my job to.

There is no doubt the media oversold this whole thing, as some kind of glamorous sexualised ring of money/wealth/lust from day 1, and well, we all know Italy is corrupt as fuck.

Then again, I find it hard to give a shit about the girl who's been done for it, anymore than I care in my daily life about any of the hundreds or thousands of other people who get rightfully/wrongfully convicted of murder every single day, except insofar as murder is sad and the more correct convictions we get the better.

I have a hard time taking it seriously when the US government jumps in and tries to defend their citizens (Although that's perfectly understandable) Still, after the issues in the Summer with America trying to act all butthurt with Scotland when the Lockerbie bomber was released, when everyone knows the guy was innocent - its hard to see it for anything other than protection despite evidence, for the sake of protection itself - which is not justice (which they are trying to claim it to be - which is disgusting)

I'm rambling a bit, hope you get my point...

[Tyek]

The only reason I was aware of the case was from the book Monster of Florence. When I read that (About another case) I could not believe how inept and utterly evil this guy was. He is completely worried about his image to the point of arresting, censoring and sueing anyone who questions him. At the end of the book they discuss this case. Read up on Mario Spezi and see all the harrassment he received from this prosecutor. He was eventually freed and when he was the prosecutor started wiretapping others to get some dirt on them for embarrassing him.

At the start of this case he was throwing out all sorts of shit, nothing stuck and he looked foolish, so instead of retreating he decided one life ruined was not enough and went wild. He is known to leak false information to the media, and should be out of a job and in jail for what he did on the one Monster case alone.

[Soreali]

Amanda Knox is not a saint, but its just as sad to read the articles that she was a slutty, murdering tramp. (HOW CAN A 22 YEAR OLD GIRL HAVE HAD 7!!!!!!!! LOVERS!!!!!).

Pff... welcome to the times my friend..

[Tyek]

At that age I was nailing anything attractive I could. I know I am a man and that is supposed to make it ok, but by 22, I had A LOT more then 7. My friends, including the Pope from FOH, we pissed when I met my wife. They had a running count and did not want to see it end. I used to bring them to watch his band rehearse at the studio.

I thought Europe was supposed to be sexually liberated. They made it sound like she was a total slut to have 7 partners.

[Soreali]

Oh I totally misread that then.. yeah in this day that really isnt as big a number as people are making it out to be..

[*~*stragi*~*]

It's illegal to be an American in Italy she is getting what she deserves!!!!!!

[Zaelath]

It's illegal to be an American in Italy she is getting what she deserves!!!!!!

This is why Americans don't travel overseas, they can't help but kill foreigners, or anyone that's handy.

[Nick]

It's illegal to be an American in Italy she is getting what she deserves!!!!!!

everyone laughhahaha satire~itiscomedyforironichighbrows

[Sueven]

Sorry if I don't seem to be trusting of an Italian justice system, who throughout this case (and others), has;
-completely mistreated evidence, such as the bra clasp that was kicked around the crime scene and handled by every cop that entered and thrown around for nearly a month before it was collected as "evidence".
-Pushed the girl after hours of interrogation to give them a statement that they put in her head.
-Admitted as evidence, and came to a verdict based off of a supposed weapon (the butcher knife) which was said by the experts who examined it on the stand to not be a match consistent with the wounds sustained by the victim.
-Did not sequester the jury, who is supposed to remain impartial, while a major public assassination of this girls character was taking place

wow, sounds kinda like the american justice system!