Amanda Knox Retrial: Former Suspect Will Not Attend New Trial in Italy
Amanda Knox will not be returning to Italy for the retrial of the 2007 murder of her British roommate Meredith Kercher.
Kercher, a 21-year old student, was found dead in the house she shared with Knox in Italy - her throat slashed and her body half-naked swamped in the pool of her own blood. Knox and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were the main suspects for the crime and were convicted in 2009 of murder.
However, in 2011, the couple was acquitted of the crime after serving four years in an Italian prison. The acquittal was attributed to what prosecutors say was "a sex game gone wrong," reports Yahoo!
Now, Amanda's lawyer confirmed Sunday that his client will not be returning to Italy for the retrial of the case.
"She will not be returning to Italy for the retrial," Attorney David Marriott told AFP, notes Yahoo! "She is not required to be there and had never agreed to attend."
Last year, Italy's Supreme Court decided to overturn the acquittal, and perform a retrial of the case. According to Yahoo!, the move was made based on "numerous examples of shortcomings, contradictions and incoherences." Reports also noted that during the first trial the jurors did not consider all evidences presented.
In an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo last May, Knox said that she hasn't decided yet whether to return for the retrial.
"It's a really complicated question," Amanda said. "I mean, I'm afraid to go back there. I don't want to go back into prison."
The retrial is expected to start next month, and should Amanda stay firm in her decision not to return to Italy for the retrial, the Italian government can request for her extradition in the U.S. government. However, according to CNN, it is not clear whether the United States will grant the appeal.