Rome - Amanda Knox was on Monday accused of slandering Italian police officers during the trial which ended with her conviction for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
The American student claimed officers had hit her round the head during an interrogation after Kercher’s body was found semi-naked with her throat cut in the girls’ Perugia flat. Seven police officers who questioned her are now suing her for slander.
Knox, 23, was jailed for 26 years last December for the brutal sex killing of 21-year-old Kercher.
At a court hearing yesterday, Knox claimed she was exercising her right to defend herself in court with the allegations of assault by police. She said: “I didn’t mean to offend or slander anybody. I reiterate, I was only trying to defend myself. I was exercising a right.”
Privilege does not exist in Italian courts, so she can be sued for what was said during the trial.
Recalling her interrogation, Knox told the murder trial in June last year: “One [police officer] shouted, ‘You don’t remember?’ then a policewoman behind me hit me across the back of the head. I turned towards her and she did it again. They were only decent with me when I made my statement. They wanted a name, but I couldn’t give them one.”
Her lawyer on Monday argued that the slander case should be thrown out but judge Claudia Matteini said there was enough evidence to proceed.
Sources said Knox was “distressed and upset” at the ruling.
Later this month Knox will appeal her conviction for murder and her lawyer said she was “very sad and worried” but “ready”. Her legal team will argue that evidence collected in the flat, was contaminated and led to flawed DNA results. - Daily Mail