Amanda Knox Awaits Final Verdict in Slander Case, Seeking to Clear Her Name After 17 Years

Amanda Knox Awaits Verdict in Slander Case

Amanda Knox, the American woman who spent years embroiled in a high-profile murder case in Italy, faces a final verdict in a separate slander case on Thursday. Italy's highest court will hear her appeal of a conviction for falsely accusing a Congolese bar owner of the 2007 murder of her British flatmate, Meredith Kercher.

This hearing marks the culmination of a 17-year legal saga for Knox. She and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were initially convicted and acquitted in flip-flop verdicts for Kercher's murder before being definitively exonerated in 2015. However, a slander conviction against Knox remained, stemming from accusations she made against the bar owner during questioning.

Despite multiple appeals, Knox was reconvicted in June 2023 after a European court ruling cleared the way for a new trial. While she won't be present at the hearing, Knox hopes for a verdict that clears her name of all criminal wrongdoing.

"Living with a false conviction is horrific, personally, psychologically, emotionally," she said on her podcast. "I'm fighting it, and we'll see what happens."

Even if the high court upholds the conviction, Knox won't face any additional jail time. She has already served nearly four years during the initial investigation, trial, and first appeal.

My Search for Meaning."

The slander case against Knox stems from a long night of questioning just days after Kercher's murder. Knox falsely accused the Congolese bar owner, Patrick Lumumba, of the crime. While the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italy violated Knox's rights during this questioning, the slander charge remained.

The upcoming verdict will determine whether Knox can finally put this legal battle behind her and move forward with her life, free from any remaining stain of criminal wrongdoing.