ROME — Italy’s highest judicial authority upheld a slander conviction against Amanda Knox, a U.S. citizen, for wrongfully accusing an innocent individual of the murder of her British roommate nearly two decades ago. The case has generated significant debate and division among observers from both the United States and Europe.
Knox challenged the conviction, citing a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights that stated her rights were compromised due to the lack of legal representation and an adequate translator during an extended interrogation shortly after the tragic murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in Perugia.
As the verdict was read by Judge Monica Boni, the courtroom was nearly devoid of attendees, featuring only a few reporters and security personnel. The attorneys for both Amanda Knox and Patrick Lumumba, the man she falsely accused, had vacated the room prior to the reading of the decision.
This judgment appears to mark the conclusion of a complex and lengthy legal journey that began with Knox and her ex-boyfriend being convicted and later acquitted in a series of contradictory rulings regarding the murder of Kercher. The highest court in the country eventually exonerated her in 2015.
Knox’s slander conviction persisted through numerous appeals, and she was reconvicted in June after the ruling from the European court enabled the reopening of the case.
In a phone conversation, Lumumba expressed contentment with the outcome, stating, “Amanda was wrong. This verdict will follow her throughout her life.”
Knox’s legal representative, Carlo Dalla Vedova, conveyed his astonishment at the court’s decision, remarking, “We are incredulous. This was entirely unexpected and fundamentally unjust for Amanda.”
In a reflective post on social media platform X, Knox described the day as “surreal,” expressing her frustration over being found guilty once more for a crime she insists she did not commit. Furthermore, she highlighted the receipt of the Innocence Network Impact Award, which honors individuals who raise awareness about wrongful convictions.
On her podcast “Labyrinths,” Knox shared her emotional struggles with living under the implications of a crime she did not commit, including the obstacles she faces in acquiring visas for various countries due to her criminal record.
According to Knox’s defense team, she initially accused Lumumba during an intense interrogation process, which they argue was influenced by misleading information provided by the police. The European Court of Human Rights had earlier determined that law enforcement had deprived Knox of her right to legal counsel and provided her with a translator who acted less as an interpreter and more as an intermediary.
At 37, Knox does not face further prison time, having already endured nearly four years amid investigations, trials, and appeals. However, she continues to pursue legal avenues in hopes of completely exonerating herself.
Since returning to the United States in 2011 after her release, Knox has dedicated herself to advocating for the wrongfully convicted, co-hosting a podcast with her husband, and preparing for the release of her new memoir, “Free: My Search for Meaning.”
The case first gained international interest in 2007 when Kercher was discovered brutally murdered in their shared apartment. Initial suspicion was directed towards Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. Ultimately, another individual, Rudy Hermann Guede from the Ivory Coast, was found guilty of the murder based on DNA evidence. He had his sentence commuted and was released in 2021 after serving most of his 16-year term.
In light of police misconduct in Knox’s case, the European court mandated that Italy compensate her financially, recognizing her as particularly vulnerable as a non-Italian speaking student. Immediate court orders were issued for a retrial regarding the slander charge based on this mandate, which dismissed two statements fabricated by police that wrongfully implicated Lumumba and insisted that the appellate court could consider only a handwritten letter Knox issued in English later on, which sought to clarify her earlier accusations.
However, the appellate court concluded that her letter further justified a slander charge. As a result of Knox’s assertions during the investigation, Lumumba was subjected to interrogation, despite having a solid alibi. This incident severely impacted his business, leading him to relocate to Poland with his wife. Upon arriving at court, he emphasized that Knox “has never apologized” to him.
