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News & ArtsMonday, December 7, 2009
Crime My Source In Italy Describes What the Courtroom Was Like When Amanda Heard the Verdict
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 11:58 AM
I just had a chat with a person who consistently provides me with reliable information about the Amanda case. The source, who covered the long, long trial, knows every aspect of it and has never let emotions or rumors distort his/her view of things. The source must remain unnamed because of the company they work for—a very big media corporation.
Me: What was the moment of the verdict like?
The Italian Source: It was grim and sad. No one in the courtroom—whether they thought Amanda was guilty or innocent—could leave the room without being affected. I went away feeling like I had seen something I wished I had never seen. Amanda Knox's pain was real. When she broke down crying as she was led out, she looked like a little girl. The room was silent. The Kerchers had tears in their eyes. The jurors, too.
Me: Why was everyone sad? This is justice; this is how it works. Some are happy with the results, some are not. Why was everyone sad?
The Italian Source: It's sad because the whole case is sad. A beautiful dead girl. Two young kids going to jail for a long time. Many broken families. And for what?
Me: Do you think she is guilty? Was the verdict fair?
The Italian Source: The trial was fair.
1
There was a clip on BBC of Kercher's brother (?) talking about the family's response to the verdict. His whole line was basically "We lost our sister, and now more young people are going away for a long time. It's not happy for anybody." I feel like the American reaction would just be "KILL EM".
2
"A beautiful dead girl"?? Really?? Would you care so much if she was not so conventionally attractive?
3
Is there a wad of Amanda Knox' chewed bubble gum that Charles hasn't ruminated on, considered the significance of and then posted about yet? Will this trial ever be over for you (and consequently for us)?
4
Amanda Knox is NOT "conventionally attractive". She only looks "Foxy" in some photos because she was extremely young. She's not hot, not hot at all.
And everyone knows, anonymous sources who work for large Italian media companies (which realistically means he or she works for Berlusconi, who owns them all) are the BEST impartial jurors, especially when they weren't jurors.
No, wait -- make that second-best jurors. The best are, of course, old German ladies on Roosevelt. They know everything, and are infallible. Like the Pope.
And everyone knows, anonymous sources who work for large Italian media companies (which realistically means he or she works for Berlusconi, who owns them all) are the BEST impartial jurors, especially when they weren't jurors.
No, wait -- make that second-best jurors. The best are, of course, old German ladies on Roosevelt. They know everything, and are infallible. Like the Pope.
6
it's sad because she's fucking innocent and so many Seattleites are gleeful about it instead of reprezenting the 206.
i understand the glee of the Italians and Brits - their minds are warped by American crime TV - they are unable to distinguish Law & Order from reality. reality is banal - like this murder. a break in, an attempted rape that results in an accidental murder, a panicked evacuation of one's bowels (by Mr. Guede). it's not complicated.
Merideth was beautiful. Amanda is beautiful. Rafaello is beautiful. I don't know what Rudy looks like, but I imagine he looks like he's partially retarded.
i understand the glee of the Italians and Brits - their minds are warped by American crime TV - they are unable to distinguish Law & Order from reality. reality is banal - like this murder. a break in, an attempted rape that results in an accidental murder, a panicked evacuation of one's bowels (by Mr. Guede). it's not complicated.
Merideth was beautiful. Amanda is beautiful. Rafaello is beautiful. I don't know what Rudy looks like, but I imagine he looks like he's partially retarded.
7
Since when were we Americans in a position to be all holier-than-thou about legal systems? She was convicted by a judge/jury that had access to far more evidence than any armchair juror out there. Christ, you read one story in the Times and suddenly you're knowledgeable enough to whine about this 'travesty'.
8
I sat on a jury recently (for a less serious charge that this) in which the outcome made everyone pretty bummed. The trial was short, fair, and the gentlemen was guilty without a doubt—we all knew the verdict would affect the young man for the rest of his life. He was pronounced guilty, and he deserved it, but it can be hard to stomach up close.
9
I don't follow news like this, so I'm behind, but -- just curious. Why the focus on Knox instead of the other perpetrators?
10
@4: Pardon me if I don't take accept your opinion on whether a female is hot or not. Not sure why you get so upset that other people may disagree with you.
12
Am I the only one to see the irony that an employee of a "very large media company" regarded by Charles for objectivity must remain unnamed?
One more piece of evidence that instead of actual, you know, reporting!, the MSM is only interested in feeding existing story lines -- and the prevailing one for Knox is that she's a victim.
So, now we have this unnamed source who says she got a fair trial. What a controversial statement this is!
One more piece of evidence that instead of actual, you know, reporting!, the MSM is only interested in feeding existing story lines -- and the prevailing one for Knox is that she's a victim.
So, now we have this unnamed source who says she got a fair trial. What a controversial statement this is!
13
Ha, next time a jury of southern rubes puts a black man on death row on trumped up and rediculous evidence I can't wait for Charles to come running to the jury's defense. Whatever you do Chuckles, don't let any facts get in your way of what happened in this trial.
14
Oh and by the way, i just conferred with MY confidential source (a major player in the Italian justice system if you must know) and he insists the trial was a total mis-carriage of justice. So THERE!
15
It's the appearance of a judicial process and appearance of legality that are important in Italian jurisprudence, not the actual result of justice itself ...
For that, you have to grease palms or have connections.
Plus, it helps if the CIA doesn't have 15 active agents who escaped Italian justice just recently and that the USA won't surrender for trial.
For that, you have to grease palms or have connections.
Plus, it helps if the CIA doesn't have 15 active agents who escaped Italian justice just recently and that the USA won't surrender for trial.
16
(caveat - based on French and German diplomats and what they said about Italian trials recently, mostly off the record)
17
Do you chat "off the record" with these French and German diplomats at the same parties where you hobnob with Frank Chopp and Mike McGinn, Will?
18
What's your point, Will?
You seem to be implying that we should overturn this case based on the opinions of some off-the-record, unnamed sources. Assuming these unnamed sources are even correct, tho, why should we stop with the Knox verdict? Clearly those krazy eyetalians can't be trusted with any kind of legal process, so let's just ignore any ruling their courts come up that we don't like.
I'm sure that'll work out just fine.
You seem to be implying that we should overturn this case based on the opinions of some off-the-record, unnamed sources. Assuming these unnamed sources are even correct, tho, why should we stop with the Knox verdict? Clearly those krazy eyetalians can't be trusted with any kind of legal process, so let's just ignore any ruling their courts come up that we don't like.
I'm sure that'll work out just fine.
19
@18: the case against Knox and Sollecito should be overturned by the appeals court based on lack of evidence and lack of a plausable motive.
if it isn't, then i will hold the opinion that "those krazy eyetalians can't be trusted with any kind of legal process". they certainly haven't been very impressive thus far.
if it isn't, then i will hold the opinion that "those krazy eyetalians can't be trusted with any kind of legal process". they certainly haven't been very impressive thus far.
20
There are more than a dozen european cities who have either made Mumia Abu-Jamal an honorary citizen or named a street after him (like in France). Italy is one of those countries that has done so. I think Amanda supporters could point out how much more evidence there is against Mumia than Amanda then question why the Europeans have stood by Mumia and said his case reflects poorly on America.... yet no outrage about Amanda and saying it reflects badly on Italy. I don't necessarily think Amanda is innocent, but there is a hell of a lot more evidence against Mumia then her, yet we do not hear Mumia supporters all outraged over her being incarcerated
22
I think 99.9% of people recognize that the outcome of all of this is sad, regardless of who is or isn't guilty.
Only Charles is surprised that people are sad.Only Charles asks why anyone would be sad. What a moron.
No wonder he posts such callous superficial bullshit about this whole story. He doesn't even get it.
Only Charles is surprised that people are sad.Only Charles asks why anyone would be sad. What a moron.
No wonder he posts such callous superficial bullshit about this whole story. He doesn't even get it.
23
People need to realize she did NOT receive anything remotely like a U.S. trial, with all the U.S. protections and procedures. Italy is completely different, and scary.
If you watched the 48 Hours reports done by Peter Van Sant of CBS, you would be alarmed by the miscarriage of justice in this case. Van Sant and the private investigator hired by CBS did a great job of analyzing the whole thing.
They concluded there is no evidence linking her to this murder.
Did you know, Knox was interrogated the first night for something like 14 hours straight, without an attorney present? That would never happen in the U.S.
Police yelling at her in Italian, intimidating her, wearing her down. Again, without an attorney present. (Not done in Italy.)
During the trial, the jurors were not sequestered, they talked with anyone they wanted, they read the tabloids like everyone else, watched the news and read the Italian papers, which were all full of lies. Key evidence was tampered with and improperly collected from the get-go. The whole judicial process in Italy is completely bizarre. Totally different than what would guide a trial in the U.S.
I hope that through diplomacy, she'll soon be freed and returned to the US.
And that every other American citizen will (I hope) learn something about how precious our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights are, and how they really do protect us here. The Italian trial was a circus. What a nightmare for any U.S. citizen to suffer through.
If you watched the 48 Hours reports done by Peter Van Sant of CBS, you would be alarmed by the miscarriage of justice in this case. Van Sant and the private investigator hired by CBS did a great job of analyzing the whole thing.
They concluded there is no evidence linking her to this murder.
Did you know, Knox was interrogated the first night for something like 14 hours straight, without an attorney present? That would never happen in the U.S.
Police yelling at her in Italian, intimidating her, wearing her down. Again, without an attorney present. (Not done in Italy.)
During the trial, the jurors were not sequestered, they talked with anyone they wanted, they read the tabloids like everyone else, watched the news and read the Italian papers, which were all full of lies. Key evidence was tampered with and improperly collected from the get-go. The whole judicial process in Italy is completely bizarre. Totally different than what would guide a trial in the U.S.
I hope that through diplomacy, she'll soon be freed and returned to the US.
And that every other American citizen will (I hope) learn something about how precious our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights are, and how they really do protect us here. The Italian trial was a circus. What a nightmare for any U.S. citizen to suffer through.
24
Due to how enormously complicated the American legal system is, there are nearly infinate possibilties and angles and weapons that experienced and intelligent lawyers have at their disposal; so it is prone to find poor accused persons guilty and wealthy accused not guilty (no example more evident than OJ Simpson's criminal case). Maybe I am being biased though, and I admit I am not American. But ask 10 Italians, I would bet 9 would say their legal system of justice is as fair, or more fair than the US counterpart.
25
so is everyone upset because she didn't receive an American-style trial? That is because she was in a different country. That is how these things work. Many in Guantanamo would prefer their own country's judicial system to the US, but the accused doesn't usually decide. It may be sad, but it is reality. Tough.
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