Meredith Kercher murder: final verdict likely on Friday

Rome - It is anticipated that Italy’s Supreme Court will provide a final ruling on the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher on Friday, reported ANSA on Wednesday. If a guilty verdict is upheld, Italian authorities could apply for the extradition of Amanda Knox, who has been living in the United States since she and ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were cleared of Kercher’s murder by a Court of Appeal, in October 2011.

 This decision is the final stage of a protracted judicial process, which began in 2009 when Knox and Sollecito were found guilty of Meredith Kercher’s murder. The pair spent a period of almost four years in prison before a second-level appeal court in Perugia, acquitted them on the grounds of a lack of material evidence to support the guilty verdicts.

 However, on March 26, 2013, Italy’s highest legal authority declared null and void this appeal and declared a re-trial. This took place in January 2014, with Knox and Sollecito once again being found guilty. The former, who had by this point returned to the United States, was sentenced to 28 years in prison with Sollecito ordered to serve 25 years.

 At the time, Knox told ABC news she was “frightened and saddened” by the verdict. Having been found innocent in the past, I expected better from the Italian judicial system.”

 If the conviction is upheld by judges on Friday it is highly likely that Italy was apply to the United States for Knox’s extradition. Meanwhile, the family of Meredith Kercher have been quoted as saying they hope the final judgement “will put an end” to their terrible ordeal.