In a definitive ruling, Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation upholds Amanda Knox’s slander conviction for falsely accusing her former employer, Patrick Lumumba, of murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in 2007. This decision concludes a protracted legal battle that has spanned nearly two decades.
In November 2007, Meredith Kercher was found murdered in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, Italy. Under intense police interrogation, conducted without legal counsel or a competent interpreter, Knox implicated Lumumba, a Congolese bar owner, in the crime. Lumumba was subsequently arrested and detained for nearly two weeks before being released when his alibi was corroborated.
Knox later recanted her accusation, stating that it was made under duress during aggressive questioning. Despite her retraction, she was charged and convicted of slander against Lumumba. This conviction has been the subject of multiple appeals over the years.
Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were initially convicted of Kercher’s murder in 2009. After a series of trials and appeals, they were definitively acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015. However, the slander conviction related to Lumumba remained a contentious issue.
In 2016, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Knox’s rights were violated during her interrogation, noting the absence of legal assistance and proper translation. This led to the annulment of her slander conviction and a subsequent retrial. In June 2024, an appellate court reaffirmed her guilt, leading to the final appeal heard by the Supreme Court of Cassation.
Upon hearing the court’s decision, Knox expressed her distress and disappointment. In a statement, she said, “I feel numb. This conviction will forever tarnish my record, despite the truth of my innocence.” She emphasized the irony of being labeled a slanderer after enduring years of public vilification.
Patrick Lumumba, the wrongfully accused bar owner, expressed satisfaction with the verdict. “Amanda was wrong. This sentence has to accompany her for the rest of her life,” he stated.
While Knox will not face additional jail time, as her sentence is considered served due to time already spent in prison, the upholding of the slander conviction means she retains a criminal record in Italy. This outcome underscores the complexities of international legal systems and the enduring challenges faced by individuals entangled in protracted legal battles abroad.
Despite this setback, Knox remains committed to advocating for criminal justice reform. She has been vocal about the need for changes in interrogation practices, particularly concerning the use of deception and the importance of legal representation. Knox continues to share her experiences to highlight systemic issues within the justice system and to support others who may be wrongfully accused.
