Knox And Sollecito Guilty Of Kercher Murder
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Graham Fitzgerald, Sky News Online
Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been found guilty of killing British student Meredith Kercher in a drunken sex game.
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The American was sentenced to 26 years in jail and her Italian ex-boyfriend was given 25 years.
As the judge read out the verdicts, 22-year-old Knox began shaking and then broke down in tears.
She murmured, “No, no,” as she hugged one of her lawyers.
Knox was then led away from the courtroom wailing and screaming.
Both Knox and Sollecito, 25, have said they will appeal against the verdicts.
Knox’s family are expected to make a statement at 10am. You can watch it here live at Sky News online.
Meredith, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found naked and with her throat slit in her room of the house she shared with Knox in Perugia, Italy, in November 2007.
The eight-member jury, which included two judges, agreed with the prosecution’s case that the former lovers killed the 21-year-old student in a violent sex game.
Knox and Sollecito had denied the charges against them
The Italian court also directed Knox and Sollecito to pay the Kercher family five million euros compensation (£4.5m) for the murder.
Knox was also told she must pay 40,000 euros (£36,000) to barman Patrick Lumumba for defamation when she falsely accused him of the killing.
Outside court, the lawyer for Meredith’s family said they had received justice, but added it was a tragedy for all involved.
“They got the justice they were expecting. We got what we were hoping for,” he said.
Knox’s father, Curt Knox, insisted his daughter was innocent and said he would fight to get the verdict overturned.
The evidence against Knox and Sollecito
Talking to Sky News, Knox’s aunt Janet Huff said: “Of course we’re incredibly disappointed – that’s not strong enough a phrase.
“Everything is just so sad tonight. We’ve got two innocent kids being put away for a crime they didn’t commit.”
A third person, Rudy Guede, 22, from the Ivory Coast, was earlier convicted of the murder and sexual violence.
Guede, who was given 30 years, is also appealing against his conviction.
The Ivory Coast national has admitted being in the house on the night of the murder, but denies killing Meredith.
admin @ December 5, 2009