Knox ‘hopeful’ ahead of retrial verdict

American Amanda Knox arrives in court for her appeal trial session in Perugia in this October 3, 2011, image. File picture: Giorgio Benvenuti

American Amanda Knox arrives in court for her appeal trial session in Perugia in this October 3, 2011, image. File picture: Giorgio Benvenuti

Published Jan 9, 2014

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Florence, Italy - A verdict in the retrial of US student Amanda Knox for the 2007 murder of her housemate is expected on January 30, the Italian court hearing her case said on Thursday.

“I am hopeful, but afraid. Every time I've believed my innocence would be recognised I have been found guilty,” Knox said in an interview with La Repubblica daily by Skype from her hometown of Seattle.

Knox has been in the United States ever since an appeal court acquitted her and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in 2011 over the killing of British student Meredith Kercher.

The acquittals were overturned by the supreme court last year and the retrial in Florence has looked at fresh DNA evidence from the alleged murder weapon.

“New evidence has been examined but I don't believe any proof of my guilt has been found. As far as I'm aware the results were the opposite of what the prosecutors were hoping for,” Knox said.

Knox risks a 30-year prison sentence - harsher than the 26 years requested for Sollecito because she initially accused someone else of the crime.

The blue-eyed blonde and Sollecito have already served four years in prison for the murder Kercher, who was found half-naked in a pool of blood in the house she shared with Knox in November 2007.

Experts say it is highly unlikely that Knox could ever be extradited even if she is convicted and that conviction is upheld in another appeal to the supreme court. - AFP

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