Saturday, September 19, 2009

Trial: Defense Returns To Weapon While Most Of Prosecution Case Still Not Contended

Posted by Peter Quennell





Journalists were asked to leave the courtroom today during a weak repeat of the contention that the large knife was not THE weapon.

But the prosecution had already indicated months ago that they believed at least one other knife was involved.

Click above for Nick Squires on one report from the press room outside the court.

The black-handled knife, with a 6.5 inch long stainless steel blade, was shown for the first time to the court in Perugia where the 22-year-old American student and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 26, are accused of sexual assault and murder.

A court official brought out the knife in a shallow white cardboard box marked “Evidence ““ handle with care” and showed it to the judge and eight jurors.

Miss Knox, of Seattle, who was wearing blue jeans and a red sweatshirt with a Beatles design, appeared impassive as the purported murder weapon was shown during the testimony of a forensic expert, Prof Giancarlo Umani-Ronchi.

She looked away when police photographs of Miss Kercher’s bloodied body were projected onto a giant screen in the courtroom.

Mr Sollecito, in a white jacket and rimless glasses, bit his fingernails as the alleged use of the knife in the killing was discussed by experts and lawyers.

A forensic consultant, Mariano Cingolani, said that of the three wounds on Miss Kercher’s neck, at least one was not compatible with the size and dimensions of the knife.

“Many other knives in general are more compatible with that kind of wound,” said Prof Cingolani. The wound was too narrow to match the knife, he said.

He added, however, that no firm conclusion could be drawn without knowing the exact angle of Miss Kercher’s neck, or the elasticity of her muscle tissue…

The former lovers, who could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty, looked tired and nervous.

So there is a question mark over the role of the large knife but again, nothing definitive. No defense attempt to prove that no other knife was used.

Meanwhile, whole other universes of very damning prosecution evidence against Sollecito and Knox remain uncontested, like a herd of elephants in the room.

For example the very damning mobile calls.  And also the highly confused alibis.

Posted by Peter Quennell on 09/19/09 at 07:56 PM in The officially involved,  The defenses,  Evidence & Witnesses,  The pack attack,  The two knives,  Other physical,  Trials 2008 & 2009,  Massei defense,  Hoaxes re Guede,  33 Sole attacker hoax

Comments

Any ideas where the other small knife might have come from…or what type of knife it was…kitchen knife or pocket knife….or what might have happened to it? Seems strange to have thrown it away…especially when they thought scrubbing it with bleach was sufficient for the big knife..tossing a bloody knife could be found and identified….could the small knife have been the one Sollecito was carrying around in his pocket?

Posted by kt on 09/20/09 at 02:28 PM | #

Just a thought.

If the smaller knife had been a clasp kife, or folding knife, or even a knife with an older wooden handle, it might have been readily apparent that it would not clean successfully.

Having to scrub inside a complicated handle, or be sure to get all the blood out of wood - even with bleach - may have been daunting enough that they just disposed of it along with whatever else seemed beyond cleaning.

The knife in evidence, though, looks as if it would be easy to clean: very plain with no difficult-looking crevices or decorations, and a plastic handle.

I can see someone thinking that this one would scrub up just fine.
And it nearly did.

Posted by lauowolf on 09/20/09 at 08:05 PM | #

steve shay’s article in the seattle west herald continues to showcase amanda knox’s family’s belief that she is innocent.  it amazes me that these articles contain so little of the documented evidence.  how do reporters/columnists justify that practice?

Posted by gramjan on 09/22/09 at 06:56 AM | #

Have the next court dates been published yet?

Posted by Terence on 09/22/09 at 07:02 AM | #

Hi Terence. All we have so far is: this Friday and saturday. The defenses seem to be seriously winging it now so presumably whenever they come up with an angle that they hope might get some traction, they will ask for see another day or two to be scheduled.

Odd how the defenses are spinning out the length of this trial - if Rudy’s appeal starts and he sings, then they are really going to be in the soup.

Posted by Peter Quennell on 09/22/09 at 06:53 PM | #
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Or to previous entry Trial: Defense Expert Tries To Claim Sollecito-Sized Footprint Is Guede’s