More like this
OJ Simpson lawyer slams ‘lynching’ of Amanda Knox
John Q Kelly has made a blistering attack on the case against Amanda Knox, who is being tried for the murder of Meredith Kercher
John Q Kelly, the lawyer and nemesis of OJ Simpson, has called the case against Amanda Knox, the American student on trial in Italy for the murder of Meredith Kercher, "a public lynching".
The lawyer who masterminded the civil case against OJ Simpson, in which the former American football star was found liable for the death of his wife Nicole, was appearing on Larry King Live with Knox's parents, Edda Mellas and Curt Knox.
The interview began with King questioning the parents about last week's refusal by a judge to allow an independent assessment of the DNA evidence against Amanda, who along with her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, is alleged to have been involved in a drug-fuelled sex game with Kercher on the night of the murder.
The parents appeared to be putting a brave face on the decision by suggesting that not reviewing the DNA evidence may even be in their daughter's favour. Mellas said: "Maybe the court decided that they don't even need [a review]. That our arguments have already been good enough."
Curt then seemed to suggest the Italian police had only proceeded with the case against his daughter because they had already put so many resources into it. Referring to Rudy Guede, the man who has already been found guilty of the murder of British student Kercher, Curt said: "When they found out that Rudy Guede actually did it they were just too far into it and they've been trying to press [the case] ever since."
He went on to accuse the police in Perugia, the scene of the crime, of physically and psychologically torturing Amanda. But throughout the interview, the impression that Curt and Edda were clutching at straws was difficult to dispel.
Then Larry King turned to Kelly. The New York lawyer didn't hold back. "This case is probably the most egregious international railroading of two innocent young people that I have ever seen," he began.
"This is actually a public lynching based on rank speculation and vindictiveness. It's just a nightmare what these people are going through."
Kelly says he believes Amanda is the victim of a clash of cultures: her own perceived lack of emotion set against Italians' reputation for too much emotion. "It's almost because Amanda showed too much stoicism after the death of her roommate, who she barely knew... She did not respond in the way they wanted her to respond."
Kelly believes the judge's refusal to allow an assessment of the DNA evidence will stand the 22-year-old in good stead at appeal.
"There's no forensic evidence, there's no physical evidence: no motive, no opportunity, no confession, no substantive evidence whatsoever against Amanda," he said. ·
Comments are now closed on this article
Comments
I am fascinated by the strident and irrational anti-Amanda Knox bias of most British commentators on this matter. I understand that the victim was British. Still, a man whose DNA is all over the bedroom crime scene as well as *in* the victim, was convicted of the murder after being caught in Germany while attempting to flee. Neither Amanda's nor Sollecito's DNA (or fingerprints, or anything else) was found in the room. Applying Occam's razor (a staple of British logic): Why make the additional, unnecessary and facially unwarranted assumptions regarding the supposed "sex game," etc., etc. Setting aside the complete absence of supporting crime-scene evidence, nothing in Amanda's or Sollecito's past would support making such a leap. Those who make that leap are apparently doing so on the basis of pure emotion, unburdened by logical considerations.
"This case is probably the most egregious international railroading..."
No, that would be Gary McKinnon's extradition
Hi Helen,
I highly recommend reading the overview of the prosecution's case on the True Justice For Meredith Kercher website.
I spent some time trying to understand both points of view with this. I've read the FOA site, a few Times articles and Barbie Nadeau's articles yet I still come to the conclusion that all three are guilty and they are as guilty as each other. I also find the charge that Amanda is on trial "because she is American" very offensive as a European. Raffaele is Italian and Rudy is a naturalised Italian/on a permanent visa so how is this trial purely geared towards imprisoning the American? It seems to me there was no defense as such, just an attempt to throw doubt onto the prosecution. Surely an innocent would have done more to prove they were where they said they were, yet Knox & Sollecito have done hardly anything it seems other than throw mud at Mignini (yet they never mention the co-prosecutor Comodi(?) who would take this trial to conclusion if Mignini fell under a bus or gets convicted in Milan) Very sad really when you consider what this family have apparently spent on this very poor looking defense.
Of course they're guilty; a totally weird couple who behaved very strangely afterwards, lied repeatedly and her behaviour in court has been suggestive of a psychopathic personality. Anyone who thinks they are innocent is either American and refusing to acknowledge Americans are ever guilty of anything abroad, a racist who would like it to be the black man or is totally naive and can't assess clear evidence. Innocent young Americans my arse.
Anyone who has been following objective reporting of the evidence has got to have come to the conclusion that she and her boyfriend are gulty of the murder.
There is too much forensic evidence against them that the defense was NOT able to prove was contaminated or ineffectively collected and checked; the lies and contradictions of the pair of their alibis (either you were or you were not at the cottage that night, Amanda. One doesn't forget one's entire whereabouts during the evening after smoking cannibus!); plus her entirely inappropriate responses and behaviors after the discovery of the body. The evidence was painstakingly and fairly assembled against RS and AK over the past two years by certified professionals.
Now all that remains is for the family to finally shut their mouths and get on with living alongside the fact of their daughter, the killer, is behind bars for a very long time.
And no this is no lynch.
This is a just judicial procedure.
JD Dewd, There were two different size bloody footprints in the apartment, indicating that there was more than one person involved in this crime. Not even the defense attorneys are disputing that, even though they do claim that the bloody footprints are not Amanda's or Raffaele's. Go listen to Amanda's testimony it is on YouTube. She describes the interrogation and she talks about the bloody bathroom. Gather the facts for yourself and stop accepting what Amanda's parents are saying to be the truth.
JD Dewd,
Amanda Knox will be convicted of murdering Meredith Kercher on the strength of the evidence. The Italian legal system is very fair and cautious. Numerous judges, including judges at the Italian Supreme Court, have examined the evidence carefully and decided that there are serious indications of Amanda Knox's and Raffaele Sollecito's guilt.
Amanda Knox's DNA was on the handle of the double DNA knife and Meredith's DNA was on the blade. Amanda Knox's footprints were set in Meredith's blood in the hallway and in Meredith's room. There were five mixed samples of Amanda Knox's blood or DNA with Meredith's blood in three different locations in the cottage, including Filomena's room, where the break-in was staged.
Incidentally, Raffaele Sollecito's forensic expert, Professor Vinci, claimed that he had found Knox's DNA on Meredith's bra. Apparently, Vincenzo Pascali, Sollecito's chief forensic consultant, also found Knox's DNA on Meredith's bra.
Raffaele Sollecito left a bloody footprint on the blue bathmat in the bathroom and he left another in the hallway. An abundant amount of Sollecito's DNA was found on Meredith's bra clasp. Meredith's bra was removed some time after she had been killed and Rudy Guede had fled the scene.
Amanda Knox admitted on several occasions that she was at the cottage on the evening of 1 November and she voluntarily admitted that she was involved in Meredith's murder in her handwritten note to the police on 6 November. This confession has been admitted as evidence by Judge Massei.
Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have both given multiple alibis and lied repeatedly. They still don't have credible alibis for the night of the murder despite three attempts each. They have no credibility as witnesses. Amanda Knox has been flatly contradicted by the corroborative testimony of numerous witnesses.
There's not a footprint, fingerprint or motive for this case against the two college students. They have no past history of any violence and there's nothing to this case other than a bizarre prosecutors obsession with satanic rituals. ........................
The murderer has already been caught, it was a rape turned into murder and so sad. It was done with solid police work.
There was only one person in the murder scene and he's already in prison, only his fingerprints, footprints were found in that room, only his DNA was on and in the victim.
**************************************
The crime didn't happen anywhere else, all of that information is confusing many people. They will be found innocent and the Rudy Guede will be found guilty in his appeal.
Amanda Knox stated that Raffaele had murdered Meredith and then attempted to frame her. This was after Patrick, the person Amanda initially named as the murderer, was released because his airtight alibi checked out. But what is most unbelievable is that Amanda is now claiming that she spent the entire night with Raffaele as an alibi. A claim that Raffaele is refusing to corroborate.
Amanda's DNA mingled with Meredith's was found in several places that apartment. There are pictures of the bloody bathroom online. Amanda said that she though "someone was having menstrual issue". Her statement, while under oath is online.
Anyone who still believes that Amanda is innocent either does not have the facts of the case, or is complete stupid!
Amanda's defense team had more than a year to prepare for trial. Waiting until it is time to present closing arguments to request an independent expert to do further testing is either gross negligence or desperate ploy. I am glad that the judge did not buy into it.
@vagrant... FTA: "This case is probably the most egregious international railroading of two innocent young people that I have ever seen."
Presumably the second young person he refers to is Sollecito.
I wonder if Mr Kelly also considers the trial of Rafaelle Sollecito to be probably the most egregious international railroading also ? Or does that only apply to Americans ?
A gutless piece of trash aiming to get a murderer off the hook. Amanda Knox should hang.