What is your opinion on Amanda Knox and her sentence?

She probably didn’t do it. she said she didn’t do it. They didn’t really prove that she did it. Give me reasonable doubt in American Courts any day.

@Kelly_Obrien

That aint America dude. Italy has their own justice system.

I think many people think she should have gotten a free pass just because she’s an American.

I am amazed at the Italian system of justice that allows both judge and jury to watch the media coverage of a case. She was tried and convicted in the court of frenzied media publicity, pure and simple. On the facts of the case, it was obvious she was innocent.

@TominLasVegas I know. That’s why I said give me reasonable doubt in American Courts.

True Dat ET Pro!

I disagree with you 100%. I think she is innocent. I believe the prosecutor used his power and influence (he is also a judge and carries alot of weight in the Italian court system) to get the verdict. The defense was not allowed to present their own evidence. They were able to dispute just about everything the prosecutor presented. I’m hoping they will get it right when they have the appeal. She was convicted by the media initially, and it snowballed from there. I know the American system has more than its fair share of flaws, but the Italian system isn’t any better.

@TominLasVegas More like an injustice system in this case.
@Pretty_Lilly Nonsense, there was not a shred of physical evidence she was even in the room where the murder was committed. How can you convict someone of murder without any evidence they are guilty?

I think the Italian system failed miserably. They allowed opinions and “conversations that could have happened” in as evidence. I think she needs a re-trial just for the true evidence in the case. Then I will make a better informed opinion.

@ETpro Well thanks for the info. it’s always good to get information from one of the investigating officers. My point was that people in the US with“NO” prior knowledge of the case nor evidence..automatically assumed she was innocent and she should be released just because she’s an American.

@Pretty_Lilly Perhaps some did. I am in the US and I certainly didn’t assume that. When she was first arrested, I assumed that the investigators must have evidence to implicate her. It only came out at trial that there was absolutely no forensic evidence that she was involved in any way.

I haven’t been following it that closely, but she seems guilty to me. There seems to be some sort double standard here, in many of these cases, for some people, that somehow Americans who commit crimes abroad shouldn’t be subject to the justice system of the country in which they commit their crimes. They are, and they should be. Americans are not so special that they are entitled to special privileges when they commit crimes in other countries.

American or not, look at the facts of the case. Guilt should not be assumed just because she is American, just like innocence should not be assumed because she is an American either. I have followed this case pretty closely. Initially I assumed she may have been guilty because of what the press was saying, but when you really look at the cold hard facts, it is very clear that she is innocent. Did you know that when all this first happened, and her boyfriend was accused, her family bought her a plane ticket and insisted she come back to America – in fact, they begged and pleaded for her to come home. She insisted on staying in Italy to be with her boyfriend because she knew he was innocent and also because she wanted to help the police find out who murdered her friend. Does that sound like someone who is guilty to you?

There seems more a standard in the world today that Americans should not only stand trial in the foreign countries where they are accused of a crime, but that they should be found guilty whether or not they are.

@Kelly_Obrien Do you have any examples? Examples of Americans who have been accused of crimes abroad, who have been unjustly accused, and more often than not, found guilty when they are not actually guilty at all?

@lillycoyote I have a question for you. You stated that you hadn’t followed the case closely, but she seems guilty to you. Why? It is insinuated in your answer that she should be found guilty because she is American. I am an American, and I believe if an American commits a crime in another country, they should be held accountable in that country. Before actually making a judgment, maybe you should look at all the facts, not just her nationality.

@lillycoyote Looking at this particular crime, the murder was violent. There was a massive amount of DNA evidence recovered at the scene. There was not ony trace of DNA from AManda in the entire room, nor on the victim’s body. In fact, there was no physical evidence of any kind indicting she had anything to do with it. The prosecutor told the jury that she definitely did it. The jury and even the judge in the case watched TV and tabloid coverage making Amanda out to be a lurid sex fiend who committed a grisly crime because she was drug and sex crazed. They believed that story and ignored the fact that in such crimes, it is virtually impossible to leave no DNA evidence, clothing fibers, or anything behind.

I am not saying she is innocent. I am just saying she certainly hasn’t been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. And I would say the same if it was Hugo Chavez’s mistress on trail and the facts introduced in evidence were the same. The nationality of the accused has no earthly bearing on guilt or innocence.

@lillycoyote It would seem that this case is a perfect example.

2 points.

1) @all As I said, I have not been following the case all that closely. I probably, no definitely, should not have voiced an opinion on the issue, on the case. Of this I am guilty.

2) @Shemarq Nothing in my comment stated, implied or “insinuated” that “she should be found guilty because she is American.” Of this, I am not guilty.

One reason I won’t leave the US unless covered by my diplomatic passport, which is no longer valid.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land What administration did you diplome for?

@ETpro I was a military attache under both Bush’s and Clinton.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land Very cool. Yu must miss the whirlwind but I am sure there’s enough bureaucratic BS to put up with too.

@ETpro I’m glad it’s over. Officially retired on 1DEC09. There were advantages, but the disadvantages outweighed them. I saw a great deal of the world but also knowing that I was a prime terrorist target. The diplomatic status allowed me to be armed regardless of local laws, but being armed was a necessity. It also meant that I couldn’t consume alcohol on commercial flights.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land Ha! No booze on board would be enough to nix the idea for me. :-)

@ETpro Only if I chose to be armed on the flight. If I checked my weapon as luggage I could drink all I liked. Depends on where I was going.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land So I could have all the shots I want so long as I’m willing to risk one of them comes from a loaded gun and I’m unarmed. What’s not to love about that?

@ETpro Yup. Can only drink if headed for a “civilized” place. Sober and armed otherwise.

It is ironic that even though she was “studying” in Italy, Amanda didn’t start studying Italian until after she received a 26 year sentence in Italian prisons. That should tell you quite a bit. Italians don’t convict Americans of murder lightly, so I believe their case is solid. It is interesting however that the Italian press makes comments about Amanda’s appearance; apparently her blue eyes seemed devilish to the mostly dark-eyed Italian populace, and her constant smile registered only as a smirk.
http://gianlucaalbanese.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/amanda-knox-vmed-245a-widec.jpg
Amanda struck me as the kind of girl who was used to getting away with anything, as pretty girls in the USA often can. If that is indeed the case, it’s good to see her expectations upset.