Case Study:-THE MURDER OF MEREDITH KERCHER

THE MURDER OF MEREDITH KERCHER

Context

Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British exchange student, was found murdered in Perugia, Italy, on November 2, 2007. She had been living with three other women, including Amanda Knox, an American student also studying abroad. The murder took place in the home they shared.

Kercher's body was discovered in her bedroom, with her throat slashed and signs of sexual assault. The case garnered international attention, partly due to the involvement of Amanda Knox and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. Both Knox and Sollecito would later be arrested for the crime, along with a third suspect, Rudy Guede.

Police Investigation

The investigation began when Knox and Sollecito reported finding Kercher’s door locked and bloodstains in the bathroom. The police arrived and forced entry into Kercher's room, where her body was found.
The initial investigation was swift, and the police focused heavily on Amanda Knox, her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Guede, a man who had previously been in trouble with the law. Knox and Sollecito were taken in for questioning, during which Knox gave inconsistent statements and falsely accused Patrick Lumumba, a local bar owner. Lumumba was later released when it was proven he was not involved.
Rudy Guede, however, fled to Germany soon after the murder and was later extradited to Italy. His DNA was found at the crime scene, including on Kercher’s body and in the room where the murder occurred.

Potential Forensic Evidence

The forensic evidence in the case played a pivotal role, though it was highly controversial and disputed during multiple trials. Some key pieces of forensic evidence include:

1. DNA Evidence:

- Rudy Guede's DNA was found inside Meredith Kercher’s body and on various items in her room. His fingerprints were also found at the scene, and this led to his arrest and eventual conviction.

- The prosecution also claimed that Raffaele Sollecito’s DNA was found on the clasp of Meredith’s bra, and Amanda Knox’s DNA was allegedly found on a kitchen knife (alleged to be the murder weapon) at Sollecito’s apartment. However, the reliability of this DNA evidence was later questioned, with experts suggesting that the DNA might have been contaminated during the investigation.

2. Blood Evidence:

- Bloodstains matching Meredith Kercher's blood were found in the bathroom Knox and Kercher shared, as well as on the faucet, which was used as potential evidence of Knox's involvement in the aftermath of the crime.

3. Footprints and Fingerprints:

- Bloody footprints found in the hallway were initially attributed to Sollecito, but forensic experts later determined they were not an exact match. No fingerprints or biological traces of Knox were definitively found at the crime scene.

4. Knife:

- The alleged murder weapon, a kitchen knife from Sollecito’s apartment, was found to have Amanda Knox’s DNA on the handle. Meredith Kercher's DNA was reportedly found on the blade, though this finding was highly controversial and later challenged as being too minimal for reliable analysis.

Motive behind the Crime

The prosecution’s theory suggested that Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Guede had engaged in a violent sexual game that spiraled out of control, leading to Meredith Kercher’s murder. They speculated that Knox had been jealous of Kercher and that drug use played a role in the crime.

The defense, however, maintained that Knox and Sollecito were not involved, arguing that Rudy Guede had acted alone. Guede’s history of burglary and his DNA being present at the scene were key points of the defense’s argument. They asserted that Knox and Sollecito had been targeted by the prosecution due to Knox’s strange behavior in the days following the murder and her initial inconsistent statements under intense police pressure.

Trial & Verdict

The case went through multiple trials, appeals, and legal twists:

1. Initial Trial (2009):

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were both found guilty of Meredith Kercher’s murder in December 2009. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison, and Sollecito to 25 years. Rudy Guede, who had opted for a fast-track trial, was convicted separately and sentenced to 30 years, later reduced to 16 years on appeal.

2. Appeal and Overturning (2011):

In 2011, Knox and Sollecito’s convictions were overturned on appeal. The appellate court criticized the forensic evidence, especially the DNA analysis, and ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict them. Knox was released from prison and returned to the United States.

3. Retrial (2014):

In a stunning reversal, Italy’s Supreme Court ordered a retrial, and in January 2014, Knox and Sollecito were again found guilty of the murder. Knox, living in the U.S. at the time, was sentenced in absentia to 28.5 years in prison.

4. Final Acquittal (2015):

In March 2015, Italy’s highest court definitively overturned the convictions of Knox and Sollecito, citing “stunning flaws” in the investigation and evidence handling. This ruling was the final verdict in the case, and both were fully acquitted.

Rudy Guede, who’s DNA was indisputably found at the scene, remains the only person convicted of Meredith Kercher’s murder. He served 16 years in prison and was released in 2021.