Post date: Dec 15, 2011 4:36:20 PM
An appeal court document released in Italy confirms that Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were cleared of murder, due to lack of evidence.
PERUGIA, ITALY (REUTERS) - A report released on Thursday (December 15) in Italy, says Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend were cleared of the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher because of a lack of material evidence to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
In the document explaining why Knox and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were acquitted, the court said key evidence that had led to the original verdict had emerged as insufficient during the appeals trial. It said the time of death established by the original court was inaccurate and also noted flaws in forensic evidence and police analysis of fingerprints and traces. This cast doubt over whether Knox and Sollecito were present at the scene.
The acquittal raised more questions than answers about who committed the crime, and prosecutors have said they will appeal to reverse the verdict.
Knox flew home to a hero's welcome in Seattle in October after the court in the city of Perugia overturned her 2009 conviction for the murder of her former roommate.