Amanda Knox Lesson: When in Rome, talk like the Romans do!

Knox pleads with Italian court to free her" (photo is an earlier image) is the headline of the news story by Alessandra Rizzo & Colleen Barry (03 October 2011, taiwannews.com):

Amanda Knox tearfully told an Italian appeals court Monday she did not kill her British roommate, pleading for the court to free her so she can return to the United States after four years behind bars. Moments later, the court began deliberations.

We are in Perugia, Italy. Appealing her earlier conviction, American exchange student Amanda has been in prison in this country for 4 years on the charge of brutally murdering her British student housemate Meredith Kercher in 2007 (not roommate - they had adjoining bedrooms, as Amanda herself told the court; J David Goodman, 03 October 2011, nytimes.com). She has been sentenced for 26 years in prison. Her co-accused are her erstwhile boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, sentenced for 25 years, and drifter Ivory Coaster Rudy Hermann Guede, sentenced for 16 years on final appeal.

Knox frequently paused for breath and fought back tears as she spoke in Italian to the eight members of the jury in a packed courtroom, but managed to maintain her composure during the 10-minute address.

"I've lost a friend in the worst, most brutal, most inexplicable way possible. … I'm paying with my life for things that I didn't do."

And of course, as everyone knows by now, Amanda Fox's conviction was overruled by the appeals court and she is now back in Seattle, Washington.

So, what made the Italian appeals court overturn the guilty verdict on her as well as on Raffaele? It was the American and Italian DNA experts' testimony that put doubt on the DNA evidence, as it was haphazardly gathered. The court judge "ruled that the prosecutors used substandard methods and contaminated the evidence" (Eric Niiler, 04 October 2011, discovery.com).

I believe it was also the language used. You must remember that this was a trial by jury, in this case 8 members, probably all Italian. You will also note that Amanda spoke in her own defense in Italian, as she has been majoring in German and Italian at the University of Washington. What do you imagine she was doing in prison all those 4 years? You have to convince the jury of your innocence. My conviction is that when Amanda spoke in Italian, she stole the jury's heart.

Tom Wright, screenwriter and coordinator of the group Friends of Amanda, said, "We felt she did a tremendous job. So courageous, in poise and eloquence. It was just beautifully said, and all Amanda" (Kim Murphy, 03 October 2011, latimes.com).

Amanda Knox lesson? When in Rome, talk like the Romans do!