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AMANDA KNOX, PROBABLY one of the most famous murder exonerees on the planet, appeared on the Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ last night and gave what was by turns an emotive, disturbing, and at times downright odd interview.
Knox, now 30, was convicted of the murder of her English flatmate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy, while a student in 2007.
She spent four years in prison before being acquitted in 2011. A retrial in 2014 saw her found guilty once more, only to be definitively confirmed to be innocent the following year. The only person currently in prison for the crime is then 21-year-old petty criminal Rudy Guede, who was eventually convicted of Kercher’s rape and murder.
Nowadays, Knox spends her time writing and campaigning as part of innocence projects devoted to exonerating the wrongfully convicted.
Last night’s half-hour long interview covered a lot of ground – from her life before travelling to Italy, to the case itself, to her struggle to prove her innocence.
Her demeanour varied from composed, to happy, to tearful as she described the events which lead to her incarceration, along with then boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, for Kercher’s murder.
She described how news footage of her kissing Sollecito outside the apartment where Kercher’s body had been found ended up coming back to haunt her:
“It’s become the most-replayed three seconds of my entire life,” she said. “We were out there for an hour or two. He was holding me and gave me a few kisses. At that moment I was shocked and confused and he was doing his best to comfort me. Most of the time he just held me and gave me his jacket to keep me warm.”
I can see why it would seem odd if it was being re-run the way it was. It was very misrepresented.
Knox said that 53 hours of interrogation by the Italian police were what led to her alleging that her then boss, restaurant owner Patrick Lumumba, was the killer. Lumumba was subsequently arrested, although it quickly emerged he could not possibly have committed the crime.
“I broke,” Knox said, struggling to maintain her composure, last night. “They convinced me that I had witnessed the murder and that Patrick had something to do with it. And I said OK. And there was no evidence against him. They just wanted to put someone inside, they wanted to solve this crime.”
They scared the bejesus out of a 20-year-old girl who spoke their language like a 10-year-old. I felt guilty for years for how they manipulated me. I learned I’m not the only one this has happened to, this is a real problem in police interrogations, they don’t have to just hit you to get you to break.
Vilification
Knox talked about how the infamous media label of ‘Foxy Knoxy’ had originated from a nickname she had as a junior basketball player in her native Washington State.
“Why do they do that to every single woman ever that they want to vilify? I’ve come to realise that a really good way to vilify women is by attacking their sexuality. As soon as they’re a slut they’re guilty of anything,” she said.
Perhaps the most bizarre section of the interview saw Knox recount the support she had received from Ireland throughout her courtroom battles:
“I got letters from lots of Irish people who said ‘of course they’re taking advantage of a vulnerable person and spinning it in a bad way, of course, we know about that’,” she said.
They even sent me rebel songs and everything, they sent me a cd of the 50 most popular ones.
Knox then, in something of an upbeat break from her earlier tearfulness, broke into a couple of bars of Come Out Ye Black and Tans:
“Come out ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man.”
I didn’t know what any of that meant. I just understood the fighting spirit of it and I appreciated that.
She also acknowledged, that when it comes to her innocence or otherwise, in the public’s view there is no middle ground.
“With people who confront me, there are those who really latch onto the conspiracy theory that I orchestrated a sex game in order to punish Meredith for her purity. That there would never be any reason for me to give conflicting statements to police other than that I’m a lying, murderous… bad word.”
People are only brave enough to (confront me) behind an online screen really.
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Something not right about her..
@Roddy Reagan: wrongly imprisoned my arse
@ColmD: Such an Irish thing to say. ‘There’s no smoke without fire’ would be another favorite? ‘I feel it in me waters’? ‘She’s up to no good that wan’? She’s guilty until proven guilty kinda craic :-)
@TellingItAsItIs: no I think FPL was saying that his arse was also wrongly imprisoned. It’s a great story but he tells it best. Let’s hear it FPL!
@Roddy Reagan: why is the continent where the killer came from relevant? Would you describe John Worboys as an European rapist?
@Sean: it’s too sensitive a story to tell on social media Sean.
@FPL Thommo: Giuliano Mignini, the Italian prosecutor who originally implicated Knox, Sollecito and Guede in a satanic sex game that resulted in the murder of Meredith Kercher led the botched investigation into the Monster of Florence case in the early 2000s, that previously resulted the imprisonment of four innocent people.
Magnini and chief of police, Michele Giuttari, alleged that the murders were the work of coven of Satanists. Mignini ordered the arrest of a pharmacist, a police officer, a mafia boss, and two journalists critical of his investigation, Mario Spezi and Douglas Preston. The basis of the Satanic link was the discovery of a pyramidal stone near the home of a previous suspect in the case, which Spezi and Preston thought was ludicrous.
In 2010, Mignini received a sixteen month prison sentence for abuse of office, the fabrication of recording evidence and for illegally bugging the journalists. He appealed the sentence in 2011, I guess he didn’t serve any time.
This is the guy who directed officers to investigate Knox and Sollecito, claimed they were Satanists.
She is an actress, and a very poor one at that. She came across insincere and said what she thought the Irish audience would like to hear. She’s going on a world tour yet she acts victimised because she is known to the public. Totally contradictory.
@Marguerite Dorgan: you do realise that humans are complex creatures capable of holding multiple competing ideas, opinions, emotions, desires, motives, etc etc at the same time? She is not a poor actress she is a fairly shy person from a culture that is quite different to ours despite the fact that she speaks the same language and so she seems odd and different to us. She is doing her best to salvage a life for herself and make up for what she has lost and part of that is telling her story and trying to reclaim the narrative and so part of that is doing the talk show circuit and it is fairly normal for people to try to be entertaining and even say what you think people want to hear.
She went through a horrendous ordeal and injustice. Why shouldn’t she cash in on it somewhat and raise awareness at the same time.
The police don’t always get it right you know and between police, media and vouyeristic public, they ruined the poor girls life.
If people didn’t read the salacious tripe the tabloids publish the world would be a far better place.
@Rachael Ball: I agree. Everything about her screams dishonesty and falsehood, she presents herself in in an ankle length dress with a high collar and long sleeves. She sit’s carefully, like a mannequin, with her hands in her lap, and although she appears animated at times this is false, her arms only move from the elbows down, her core composure never changes. Every time she answers an important question she first thinks about it, drawing a breath and often beginning with “well” or “so”. She also said that she was acquitted because of being called a slut, not because she didn’t do it or because she was innocent, a distinction I think I’d be anxious to make. Her voice breaks at several strategic points in the interview, complete with some heartbreaking eye gestures, but no tears.
There’s no doubt she’s not a fool and not easy to trip up, when Ray asked her about the types of CD’s her alleged Irish fans sent her she covered it well and rattled off a couple of what were probably the only references to Irish rebel songs she knew. I had a neighbour who used to play Irish rebel songs in his garden at full volume every time we’d get a sunny day, drove everyone mad, I still remember the damn lyrics of every damn one of ‘em. Someone listening to CD’s of them for two years in an Italian prison would never forget every damn word, yet she seemed to, odd that…
I don’t know if she had any part in Meredith Kercher’s murder, I can’t honestly say, but I do believe she was being dishonest during that interview. I’d be interesting to hear Ray Darcy’s take on her.
@Jed I. Knight: I think you’ll find Rachael Ball doesn’t agree with us. I completely agree with you. Her body language gave so much away. She tried to look solemn but was so transparent. I don’t know what she is guilty of but she is 100% a liar with little or no compassion towards Meredith, the real victim in the case.
@Marguerite Dorgan: My apologies, I accidentally clicked ‘Reply’ to the wrong post. As you’ve said, everything about her, from her appearance to her poise, her manner of speech, body language etc. says it’s was contrived. Her entire being in that interview was manufactured to sell a lie, from the clothes she chose to wear to sell what she perceived would be seen as pious and chaste in ‘catholic Ireland’ to her manner of speech.
She’s intelligent and clearly very accomplished at every part of the charade, except one. She’s not a very good actress.
@Jed I. Knight: Amanda was not on trial on the ray Darcy show, are you an expert on body language? don’t you think she could have been a little nervous? How would you like to be in her shoes, every time she is interviewed, she is being observed by you and others so that you can determine is she is being honest or dishonest in your opinion, and don’t you think that she is aware of that, That girl is going to have to prove her innocence until the day she dies it seems, she just cannot win. There was no evidence against her. They arrested and jailed the man who raped and murdered Meredith. I hope and pray Amanda stays strong and i hope life is good to her.
@Marguerite Dorgan: so she’s not a perfect person, well hang her straight away and while we are at it lets go back to burning witches
@Marguerite Dorgan: she is entitled to just not give a s#!t at this stage . It’s been years since it happened. What would satisfy you? If she was still bawlimg crying every day for the life of someone she knew briefly . Get off your high horse for f#$ck sake
@Marguerite Dorgan: Body language experts make me laugh. You know more than .UK prof Peter Gill who developed the lcn DNA testing that was used on this case? He wrote a book about how this was used incorrectly to falsely imprison. But hey body language expert, you’re entitled to your opinion. :)
@Betty Ninja: Do you know what I do for a living?
That’ll upset the journals resident tans in the comments section!
@John Dman: Imagine if she was from an ethnic minority, transgender woman wrongfully charged with murder. I don’t think the language of disturbing would be used to describe the interview. This women would be lauded for coming on Irish TV and singing an Irish song.. but instead naahh..
Just Bizzare, why was she a guest, somewhat of morbid fascination RTE have with this weird individual, as for the Rebel song redition WTF was that about. Jesus the late lates barrel has been truely scrapped. Awful stuff
@Joseph Dempsey: it wasn’t on the Late Late
@Dermot Lane: he has a point tho ,same-different : both Ireland’s weekend chat shows are bizarre and overly serious studies of issues and there’s very few laughs..
@Dermot Lane: sorry typo
Very good reason why innocent until proven guilty is better than trial on social media.
@phil: Look at the abuse Rory Best is getting. Some people haven’t a clue .
@DaisyChainsaw: yeah nothing to do with Best being a character witness you fcuking mong
@Harry Sheils: Best and Henderson are in the wrong – why would you align yourself with the accused in such a case
@Osean Drive: Do you not see what is wrong with your post?
Was a good interview which I was surprised about.
I’ve seen alot of complaints about this on social media, there was no malice behind it. She was using the Irish struggle for independence as a metaphor for innocent people caught up unjustly in the justice system. She obviously doesn’t know the meaning behind the song nor does she know much about Anglo-Saxon relationship over the past 50 years in the north. A stupid move but shouldn’t be drawing the flax it has
@John: why is stupid? I didn’t realise this song was banned now? Or is too much for Twitter snow flakes
@John: Brits out.
Will never know the truth….what really happened..
Truth is she was stitched up poor girl
@john doe: having tried to stitch her boss up .
@Quentin Moriarty: After the police brought up a text message from him. Patrick also claims he was hit by cops
I was wondering why she was dressed like the blessed virgin?
@Mary Lyons: How many Palestinians from 2000 years ago wore blue dresses?
@Mary Lyons: something short and tight would have looked better alright .
Why hasn’t she sued the Italian authorities for wrongful conviction? Furthermore the suffering of the Kercher family should always be taken into account here. For a long while I’ve had doubts over Knox’s innocence.
@Ian Peadar Callagy: She has taken her case to ECHR. This isn’t over. People who bang on about the Kercher family but say nothing about the evidence Italy suppressed are a ticket.
She had me at tans
@darrell fahy: brilliant lol.
foh for the love of…..a term like “Foxy Knoxy” is not an attack on women. Beginning to think all American women under 40 are special snowflakes.
My last post deleted.. anyway, I think she’s lovely.
Shes not 100% innocent from what her body language is saying in that interview
@gary mullen: Another body language expert:) Let me ask you, since it was such a bloody violent murder, yet she left nothing in that room, do you believe she levitated during the crime?
@Betty Ninja: did you not watch the interview betty? Oh sorry i forgot you didnt need to as you were at the crime scene doing your own investigation and gathering evidence , hence how you know for a fact she left nothing at the crime scene….. she left no trace of anything in the apartment she lived in….. sounds a bit stupid really now doesnt it?
The girl is innocent. Check out Wrongful Convictions podcast with Jason Flom . It’s a great podcast, some shocking stories. The Italian police wanted this case sorted asap and a foreign student and her Italian boyfriend were easy targets.
@John A. Dixon:
Spot on .
She’s fake and insincere. Her body language was off as well. Pretty much a people pleaser and someone such as that can’t be trusted.
@John’s Voyage: Body language experts are strong on this thread.
Why isn’t she suing the Italian authorities for wrongful conviction? The Kerchers should not be forgotten in all of this too and the terrible suffering they’ve had to endure. I have serious doubts over the innocence of Ms Knox.
@Ian Peadar Callagy: She is taking her case to ECHR and I believe the Italians already paid up. If you are so worried about the Kercher family you should focus attention on the evidence Italy suppressed such as an entire downstairs apartment covered in blood and semen results. But nah – focus on the pretty white girl.
So, all the white folk got off and the black man is still in prison.
Who would have thunk that eh?
@Niccolo Saccho: Well his DNA was found inside the victim…do you think he should have gotten off because he was black?
Rudy Guede:
‘I’m 101% Certain Amanda Knox Was There’
Interestingly Rudy Guede will be eligible for parole next year,
@Chemical Brothers: yes, that’s exactly what they meant. Black people don’t commit crimes and all white people are racists. Keep up!
@Niccolo Saccho: she had nothing to do with it. With the world media descending on perguia, the Italian police had to pin it on someone quick. Her life has been destroyed by their complete incompetence.
If it happened in the US his case would have become a cause celebre.
@Michael Carolan: one of the chief investigators was also in charge of the ‘Monster of Florence’ serial killer investigation. He made a balls of that too, the whole investigation ended up in farce.
@Niccolo Saccho: @Niccolo Saccho: You mean Rudy Guess, the known burglar with a string of previous convictions who left shit in toilet and bloody foot prints all over the apartment? Do you think Amanda (who left 0 DNA in bloody violent murder room) levitated?
@Niccolo Saccho: That was not what he said initially though, was it? In his Skype conversation he totally denied her being there. And he already got refused parole.
@Betty Ninja: Why do you think he denied her being there at first. He didn’t have the army of lawyers and PR team behind him like Amanda Knox who would have retaliated.
I think she is still foxy .
Anyone who believes her crap is deluded!
@oliverjumelle:Im well deluded
Fair enough if your wrongly accused you would want to tell your story. However it’s endless with her and I’m sure she is making plenty of money out of it. I just feel sorry for the family of the girl Meredith who was murdered.
@Audrey: You feel really bad? You should try start a campaign to have the masses of suppressed evidence released by Italy. Otherwise you’re just full of shit, no offense.
@Betty Ninja: your ignorant. I feel sorry for the family of the murdered girl that is all. I’m entitled to my opinion.
@Audrey: You can’t feel that sorry for them if you are ok with Italy suppressing evidence.
2 things about this that is a disgrace..
The way the press behaved during all of this trial and the appeals..
I Watched the documentary on Netflix about the first trial and the appeal etc.The head of the police department in the town was interviewed and He spoke of how experienced he was in investigating
Murders..He said that he learned a lot from reading Sherlock Homes books..
My God ..the poor girl never had a chance ..
Another celebrity
Something very odd….something rotten in the state of Denmark
Very odd individual
It’s been years and still nobody is asking about the evidence Italy suppressed.
Do not judge lest ye be judged.
She was acquitted – twice.
Focus your efforts on something more important. Corporations putting chemicals in our foods that kill millions with carcinogenic agents. Tons and tons of plastics dumped in our seas and choking our small planet. Oil companies posting record profits in the years where oil ‘costs’ supposedly rose the most. The rise of Neo-nazism. The downfall of the modern world. Even if Knox did kill someone, it is irrelevant in the great scheme of what is going on today in this world. She was found guilty and acquitted – twice. Move on, focus on something that truly matters to you, to me, to your peers. Not this sensationalized sh*te on TV. What about all the tyrants hiding behind corporate entities who are guilty of so so so much more towards the entire human race? Knox is just a distraction… open your eyes!!!
she is hot and into kinky sex, whats not to like
have your say