Meredith Kercher

Meredith Kercher

1. Background:

Meredith Kercher was born in London and she was murdered in Italy on the first of November 2007 in an apartment which she shared with three other women. Three individuals namely Rudy Guede, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty with the murder of the victim. Prosecution claimed that the three suspects sexually abused Kercher and when she failed to cooperate they murdered her, they then cleaned the room with bleach and staged a break in. The Times (2007)

The body had knife wounds, 42 bruises and scratches and evidence showed that she was sexually assaulted. The number of bruises indicated that more than one person was involved. A neighbour who heard screams indicated that she also heard more than two people running down the stare cases. The Times (2007)

2. Evidence: Rudy Guede:

Rudy fled to Germany after the incidence (The Times, 2007), German train officials who noted that he had no ticket also noted a cut on his hand, and he admitted being with the victim that

Meredith Kercher

night, DNA samples (semen) showed that he sexually assaulted the victim. Blood found in the room was also found to contain his blood. Fingerprints were also found on the victim’s bathroom, handbag and shirt, he received 30 years imprisonment but after an appeal the years were reduced to 16 years. BBC (2009)

Amanda Knox:

Knox was also another suspect in the murder, her blood was found to have mixed with the victim’s blood, finger prints and DNA were also found on another room in the flat, she claimed that she was not present at the time of the murder but given that this occurred at 11.00 she was expected to be home. However Knox DNA, blood, fingerprints was not found in the victim’s room. She however claimed that she had smoked marijuana that night and further evidence showed that she had turned off her phone that night, also that she had posted an article online regarding the murder and rape, she was sentenced for 26 years imprisonment. BBC (2009)

Raffaele Sollecito:

Raffaele was found guilty and sentenced for 25 years, he claimed that that night he was using his computer but internet provider details showed that he was not using his computer, a footprint was found in the victims room and DNA found on the victims bra meaning that he had sexually assaulted the victim, finally he admitted he had smoked marijuana that night. The murder weapon was also found in his kitchen meaning that he was part of the team that murdered Kercher. BBC (2009)

Meredith Kercher

3. Conclusion:

Raffaele, Knox and Rudy were all charged with the crime and received a sentence of 25, 26 and 30 in prison respectively, forensic science supported testimonies by witnesses whereby the neighbour who reported that he heard several people running was consistent with the number of individuals convicted. Rudy admitted that he was with the victim that night, he also claimed that he was with the victim that night and therefore his figure prints were found, however he was found guilty given that he sustained a cut and fled to Germany. On the other hand Knox claimed that he had no intention to kill her best friend but more evidence showed that she was guilty given that her blood had mixed with the victim’s blood.

References:

January, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8394750.stm

January, from. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8427250.stm

January, from http://images.google.com/images?q=Amanda+Knox&btnG=Search&g bv=2&hl=en&sa=2&start=0

January, from http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=Meredith+Ker cher&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

January, from http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=Raffael

Meredith Kercher

e+Sollecito&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&start=0

January, from http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=Rudy+Gu%C 3%A9d%C3%A9&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

January, from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2906638.ece