Tuesday, April 02, 2013

A Growing Number Of Commentators Are Objecting To Overexposure Of The Two Still Accused

Posted by Peter Quennell

We have a series of posts coming up that will describe in detail and analyze the outcome of the Supreme Court.

At least one post will be a roundup of the media. Noticeable this time was less of a tendency to lionize Knox and Sollecito. Some articles and TV reports flipped for Knox, but none did for Sollecito.

And some editors and reporters have weighed in strongly for better balance. David Barrett of the Daily Telegraph wrote this one.

The impending retrial for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher fills many court-watchers with dread, myself included.

Details of the crime are horrific enough. But during the lengthy court processes which we have already witnessed, my discomfort was intensified by the obsession with Amanda Knox.

The photogenic young American, now 25, was convicted and then acquitted of the 2007 murder. She received more sympathy than most suspects who have ever stood in the dock on such a serious charge.

The media pack which followed the Italian trial would often comment on Knox’s apparent frailty; the “stress” she was suffering or whether she looked “pale”. It made me gag.

It’s a difficulty with which any professional and humane court reporter is familiar: how do you keep the victim, who is absent, visible in the very human drama that is a murder trial?

Is it appropriate to pay more attention to the suspect than to the issue at hand; namely, securing justice on behalf of a person whose life has been taken from them? I say it is not, although I can understand why it happens….

When the Italian prosecutors again attempt to secure a conviction for that tragic murder in Perugia we will have to get used to seeing Knox’s face on a daily basis once more. But let’s ensure that Meredith remains at forefront of all our minds.

Posted by Peter Quennell on 04/02/13 at 08:55 PM in The officially involved, Amanda Knox, Raff Sollecito, Knox-Marriott PR, Raff Sollecito PR, Amanda Knox #2, Raff Sollecito #2

Comments

Love you, Meredith.

Posted by Bettina on 04/03/13 at 08:13 PM | #

It would be nice it the tide in the media turned. A little sober analysis of this case is all I’ve ever wanted.

Posted by Jeff Friend on 04/03/13 at 10:00 PM | #

Beautiful. Beautiful. Says it all so well. Peter, thanks for this serene summary by David Barrett.

Posted by Hopeful on 04/03/13 at 10:15 PM | #

Well we will do our part, after all that is probably all we an do. However the more sober analysis coming from here as opposed to the hysterical nonsense coming from the pro Knox site will obviously help.

Posted by Grahame Rhodes on 04/03/13 at 10:27 PM | #

Perhaps itÂ´s simply due to the fact that Knox is white and American while her victim came from a non-Caucasian background.IÂ´ve seen it happen often that white , middle-class girls who have suffered receive much more attention than a poor girl of colour, for instance, would have under the same circumstances.
ItÂ´s called “missing white woman syndrome”.

Posted by aethelred23 on 04/04/13 at 12:09 AM | #

Kudos to Mr. Barrett for saying all the right things.

Knox and Sollecito have been suffering the rightful consequences of their horrific act, an act which they committed knowing full well that it was unspeakably vile and completely irreversible. Thanks to Hellmann’s acquittal, they’ve been faring much better than any murderer deserves, although the tides seem to be turning.

Poor Meredith had no choice. She had everything taken away from her for no reason at all: her life, her dreams of a career, her future relationships, her future children.

Forgetting her while lionizing her murderers, like Peter said, is unforgivable and legitimizes a senseless crime. The last thing we need in this screwed up society of ours is positive reinforcement for brutal, dangerous people.

Posted by Vivianna on 04/04/13 at 12:27 AM | #

What a lovely article. It represents all that is right with media and the internet. Thanks to David Barrett for reminding everyone what the trial is all about.

Posted by Sara on 04/04/13 at 08:40 AM | #

Drooling admirer Steve Shay was back in the WS Herald print edition this week, congratulating himself and the WSH for their thorough and dutiful coverage of Homegirl’s adventures in Evil Italy. He quotes Ciolino’s Salty’s speech, which contains several priceless phrases:
“anyone with HALF A BRAIN could see that they were innocent” and the Italian court apparently saw AK as ” a little American twit from Seattle”. And of course, the infamous “railroad job from Hell”.
No news on the West Seattle Herald Angel, but he apparently thinks she is still living with mumsy. Why no exclusive interview or snapshots, while she is Waiting to be RE-Heard?

Posted by mimi on 04/05/13 at 11:18 PM | #

http://www.examiner.com/article/on-amanda-knox-ann-coulter-hits-it-out-of-the-park

Yay, more coverage of the US media bias by true members of the journalistic profession.

I normally can’t stand Anne Coulter, but she is really helping in this case to apply logic & expose bias in favour of a liar & felon, &, I believe, worse (rapist/murderer).

Posted by all4justice on 04/07/13 at 10:33 PM | #

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