Sunday, December 06, 2009
The Amazing Person That Was Meredith Kercher #2: The Observer Also Wants Attention To Be On Her
Posted by Peter Quennell
Barbar Ellen calls for an overdue refocus.
Now that American Amanda “Foxy Knoxy” Knox has been found guilty of murder and sentenced to 26 years, will we finally drag our attention over to Meredith Kercher?
Meredith, the British Leeds university student, studying in Perugia [was] the victim, and therefore surely the central figure in this distressing story, though you would never have known it, gazing these past months at the gory theatrics of The Foxy Knoxy Show.
Foxy, back then, still innocent until proven guilty ““ depicted disturbingly posing with a gun, but also adopting “sex kitten” poses, like thousands of other young girls showing off on internet sites. Whose former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was also found guilty, receiving 25 years, yet, who, just like Rudy Guede (jailed for 30 years for Kercher’s murder in January), seems to have faded in public perception to the point of becoming a footnote.
All of which leads to the question: if there were three known assailants, and Kercher was the only victim, how come “Foxy Knoxy” is still getting all the attention?
The last few days of the trial were extremely strange, with both Knox and her lawyer suddenly becoming tearful, not to mention Knox’s 11th-hour flowery oratory about not wanting to be given the “mask of the assassin”, making her sound like some ham mangling Shakespeare at the Old Vic.
However, for some of us, the entire trial was bizarre, overshadowed as it was by the brazen “marketing” of Knox, the selling of her to the masses as “sexy-evil”. But it is too easy just to blame the media. There seems to be a market out there, a hunger, for this kind of thing. A predilection, as someone said to me, for favouring Bonnie over Clyde.
Even now, debates rage over Knox’s psyche (“all-American girl or she-devil?”), suggesting that, for some, there has to be duality, sexuality, a sense of mysticism attached to female homicide. That essentially society finds it impossible to conceive of a bog-standard no-frills female killer, in the same way we accept the equally guilty Sollecito and Guede.
Some may argue that there is nothing sinister going on here ““ that there is always more focus on the murderers than the victims. Well, not always. There wasn’t “more focus” on those who murdered Scarlett Keeling in Goa in 2008 ““ then all the emphasis (the scorn, the opprobrium) was directed at the lifestyle of this British girl, and that of her hippy-living mother.
Getting back to Knox, some may shrug and say, so the trial was sensationalised, somewhat over-focused on the female protagonist ““ does this really matter, seeing as she was guilty anyway? I would say, yes. Knox’s parents have already said their daughter will appeal ““ who’s to say that Knox won’t place emphasis on her “trial by media”?
Away from the legal arena, there are pressing ethical issues. The fact, for example, that even though Knox has now been found guilty, the victim, Meredith, is still barely meriting a mention. Indeed, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves ““ is this what happens when we unthinkingly turn the likes of Foxy Knoxy into cartoons of “sexy evil” ““ if are we robbing their victims of their humanity, too? Are we ensuring that innocents such as Meredith somehow get lost in the big noisy over-sensationalised shuffle?
Certainly it seems to say something that this trial has been all about Knox, just one of three found guilty of the murder. It is as if, just as Kercher desperately struggled for life, but was overpowered by her assailants, her memory is now being overwhelmed by the relentless “Foxy Knoxy” spin.
Perhaps it is time to banish the salacious lip-smacking over Foxy Knoxy to the satellite “true crime” channels where it belongs. It was Meredith who died ““ and Meredith who should now have the dignity of our thoughts.
The great soap battleaxe won’t die with Blanche
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Today Seattle media continue to play Senator Maria Cantwell’s pandering promise that she will pressure the EU, Italy’s prime minister,Hillary Clinton, and others to influence Knox’s appeals in a continuing effort to discredit an ally’s officials and institutions.
This is interesting from a political strategy perspective considering comment boards in Seattle media are running as high as 10 to 1 in support of the evidence and conviction.
Maria, cow to some of your staffers and their ties to Knox’s PR principals and Seattle media chieftains at your political peril.
Cantwell hasn’t announced whether she will ask the State Dept to investigate the cases of all convicted murderers in the US.
For justice to endure people need to be informed. TJMK is the best clearinghouse for information and should be referenced with a link in any comment boards. It has been effective in leveling the field in Seattle readers. It should be mentioned in interviews,etc.
Posted by jennifer on 12/06/09 at 09:25 PM | #
Today, Hillary Clinton agreed at some point to “examine” the trial and its outcome; she is too busy right now but will take a look at it. PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT on her part. And somehow, some way, get her to look at TJMK as part of her examination.
Posted by gramjan on 12/06/09 at 11:33 PM | #
Even if Hillary Clinton would somehow disagree with the sentence or the outcome of the trial/appeal, I fail to see how that would matter to the Italian authorities.
Regarding the article written by Barbara Ellen, I agree that Meredith Kercher was replaced as victim through Amanda Knox. This did not happen accidentally, it was motivated by the family of the accused, who were looking for empathy (and $$$) for their cause.
I don’t blame the media for giving Amanda Knox the main role in this play - she indeed was the main player in the whole crime. The other two accused were followers.
Posted by Nell on 12/07/09 at 12:58 AM | #
And perhaps writers will stop using the nickname Amanda Knox and her team mates used for her as a young girl on the soccer field. The one used to portray her as oversexed and evil. And perhaps bloggers will stop posting articles that use that name. That would go a long way towards fairness and placing the focus back on Meridith as so many claim to wish for.
Posted by kendall on 12/07/09 at 08:15 AM | #
Who is really afraid of losing face, now?
They accuse Italy of being afraid of losing face, but what about FOAK, the Knox’ family, and other associations that helped create all this fuss?
They just cannot afford Amanda being declared guilty! They took supporter’s money, they yelled on TV and to the medias, and they could be WRONG???
They just cannot afford it and will keep yelling and yelling obsessively, and now it has become impossible for any of the group to admit that, maybe, Amanda was at least involved…
No turning point ... THEY cannot lose face!
Posted by Patou on 12/07/09 at 03:33 PM | #
just heard on msnbc that hillary clinton can express her opinions to the senator but has no legal jurisdiction in this case.
Posted by gramjan on 12/07/09 at 03:34 PM | #
I am not surprised at the hypocrisy emanating from the US, after they are sticking up for “their girl”. The Italian system is at least as good as the US justice system which regularly convicts the poor and mentally deficient. The US system is clearly very politically influenced. At least Amanda does not face a death penalty, unlike the many falsely convicted and executed in the USA.
What disgusts me more is that the UK media apparently overlooks the brutal killing of one of their own, and continues to give space to the PR campaign of her parents and the FOAK. Normally when a guilty verdict is returned in a UK case, the media accept this and don’t give air time to the murderers’ relatives.
FOAK have tried to buy their way out of a conviction, thankfully so far they have completely failed.
I can see where Amanda inherits her psychopathy from, when her father was asked how he feels he replies with no emotion and a detached assessment of the prospect of appeal.
Posted by bobc on 12/07/09 at 05:41 PM | #
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Where next:
Click here to return to The Top Of The Front PageOr to next entry The Amazing Person That Was Meredith Kercher #3: The UK People Interviews Ex-Boyfriend In Australia
Or to previous entry The Day After The AK/RS Verdict: Meredith’s Mom, Dad, Sister And Two Brothers At Press Conference