Knox: Kercher murder charges are fantasy
Amanda Knox: Kercher murder charges are fantasy
Saturday, 21, Nov 2009 08:01
By Lewis Bazley.
Murder suspect Amanda Knox has claimed the accusation that she killed British student Meredith Kercher is "pure fantasy".
The American student was speaking in court in Perugia after prosecutors asked that she and co-accused Raffaele Sollecito be given a life sentence if convicted.
Giuliano Mignini also called for Sollecito to receive two months in isolation and Knox nine as he and colleague Manuela Comodi asked the jury to convict the pair on charges of murder and sexual violence.
"We must not forget what they are accused of and the victim - this was a murder accompanied by sexual violence for futile motives," Mr Mignini told the court.
"A 21-year-old girl who a few days later should have gone back to London to see her ill mother who she was close to and who she should have embraced along with her father, sister and two brothers.
"But she was not able to return and embrace her family, she was killed in an appalling manner; the only way they can be with her is at the cemetery. She was literally eliminated."
Knox, however, told the court the charges against her were "pure fantasy".
Addressing the court in Italian, 22-year-old Knox said: "I wanted to speak the other day but I couldn't. I have to say some important things.
"This first thing is that Meredith was my friend. I did not hate her. To say that I wanted to take revenge against a person who I liked is absurd.
"Everything that has been said these last two days is pure fantasy, it's nor true, I have to insist on this and that's all I want to say. Thank you."
Knox and her ex-boyfriend Sollecito, an Italian, both deny that a drug-fuelled sex game took place on the night of Ms Kercher's death.
Prosecutors claim the pair, and 22-year-old Rudy Guede - who has already been convicted and sentenced to 30 years in jail over the attack - murdered Ms Kercher while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Mr Mignini said Knox hit Ms Kercher's head against a wall before Sollecito held her down and Guede sexually assaulted her.
In his reconstruction in the Perugia court, the prosecutor alleged Guede then held down Ms Kercher as Sollecito and Knox dealt fatal knife wounds to the British student's throat.
Guede has insisted his innocence and has launched an appeal, while the verdict regarding Knox and Sollecito is expected in the first week of December.