An Italian court has returned a verdict in the third trial of Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, in the 2007 death of Meredeth Kercher: Knox was found guilty of the crime for the second time in the notorious case. Amanda was sentenced to 28 years and six months in jail, though it’s rather unclear if she’ll ever serve even a day of that. More on that in a second. The first two trials produced flip-flop verdicts of guilty then innocent for Knox and Sollecito, who were acquitted on appeal in 2011 after four years in custody. An appeals court found that important evidence regarding blood and DNA had been handled improperly by investigators, leading to the released of the duo. But Italy’s supreme court, called the Court of Cassation, dismissed that ruling based on what it said was key evidence that had been omitted during the appeal. A new trial, at which Amanda Knox did not appear, began in 2013. The three-day deliberations were closely watched as jurors were tasked with either confirming or overturn the initial guilty verdict “as if the acquittal never happened.” Jurors deliberated into the night before delivering the guilty verdict that comes as a blow to Knox and Sollecito, who can lodge a further appeal with the Supreme Court. So what comes next for the 26-year-old media sensation? Amanda Knox Photos: Through the Years Open Slideshow 1. Amanda Knox Photograph What a beautiful Amanda Knox photograph! View As List 1. Amanda Knox Photograph What a beautiful Amanda Knox photograph! 2. Amanda Knox Pic Amanda Knox. She’s allegedly a killer. Bad news. 3. Amanda Knox Photo Amanda Knox is a free woman. First time in awhile since she and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of murder. 4. Foxy Knoxy Amanda Knox was given the nickname Foxy Knoxy at one point. 5. Amanda Knox Book Cover The cover of Amanda Knox’s new book, Waiting to Be Heard. 6. Amanda Knox Halloween Costume Amanda Knox dresses up as a cat burglar for Halloween. Not cool. 7. Hard Knox Amanda Knox has had a tough go of it. She now faces a new trial. 8. Amanda Knox, James Terrano Amanda Knox is going strong with her boyfriend, James Terrano. Check out this pic of them, they seem happy. 9. Amanda Knox O-Face It’s not really an o-face. More like an uh-oh face! 10. New Amanda Knox Pic Amanda Knox in February 2012. Back to school. 11. Amanda Knox Speaks Amanda Knox speaks after her release from an Italian jail. Her case sparked widespread media interest. 12. The One Who Knox Amanda Knox on the Today Show September 20, 2013. She will not go back to Italy for her new trial. 13. Hard Knox Life Amanda Knox has been found guilty of murder for the second time in the death of Meredeth Kercher. Her next move is unclear. 14. Amanda Knox on Today Show Amanda Knox on the Today Show September 20, 2013. She says she is innocent. 15. Amanda Knox Interview With Diane Sawyer The first part of Amanda Knox’s interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC News. 16. Amanda Knox Verdict Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been found not guilty of the killing/murder and sexual assault of Brittish exchange student Meredith Kercher. 17. Amanda Knox on Good Morning America Amanda Knox on Good Morning America in 2013. She’s speaking out for the first time. 18. Amanda Knox Lifetime Movie Trailer The trailer for Amanda Knox: Trial in Italy. Hayden Panettiere stars in the Lifetime film. Knox’s situation is complicated by her absence. Experts say it is unlikely Italy will seek extradition until a verdict is finalized, a process that can take a year. She told Italian state TV in an interview earlier this month that she would wait for the verdict at her mother’s house in Washington “with my heart in my throat.” Knox’s absence does not formally hurt her case since she had been freed by a court and defendants in Italy are not required to appear at their trials. However, judge Alessandro Nencini reacted sternly to her emailed statement, noting that defendants have a right to be heard if they appear in person. Some experts say it is unlikely Knox will return to Italy. Ever. Because U.S. law dictates that a person cannot be tried twice on the same charge, she is likely to fight extradition on those grounds if Italy seeks it. Sollecito, meanwhile, did appear at the trial and faces arrest.
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Amanda Knox Verdict: GUILTY of Murder, Sentenced to 28 Years
