Why is this Amanda Knox murder trial big news?

She´s pretty and American and thought those two things would be her ticket out of jail. She kept that stupid smirk on her face during the entire trial. Bet `Foxy Knoxy` isn´t smirking anymore.

To everyone saying she´s innocent and judging the Italian court system:

Someone who changed her story several times, is not an innocent person. She was hiding something. She showed no emotion for the brutally murdered girl, which is something an innocent person would have done. Everyone who is letting her off the hook because "she's a girl, she can't do that" or "she's too pretty" are the proof what is wrong with the court system today.

What I want to know is why Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian, gets barely any mention at all concerning who murdered Kercher. I agree, I think both media outlets are biased on this (and every other) issue. I think the British media is taking the side of the victim, one of their own British, and ignoring Raffaele so they can play the nationality card against Knox. They want to get viewers using the blind, anti-American sentiment that Europe is so famous for. The American media here is probably taking the side of Amanda because she's an American and is trialed in a setting where most if not all people are against her. She needs some kind of support, even if things are looking pretty dim for her. I can't really say why Raffaelle gets so little mention in the US media as well. Media will always be biased to a degree. Whether it's privately-owned like in the US or Government-owned like in China, people will have control of the content that is reported. Most people can not be trusted with such power.

I think it's because it involves different countries, it's something international. Anyway, I'm an Italian girl and I was looking for something to make me understand why lots of Americans are criticizing our judiciary system so much! Most of the things I read are completly untrue! Here you can have 7 different trials, with three different grades of judjment; any suspected here has lots of rights (I'd say too many). No one is put in prison unless there are very good reasons, it's very very difficult that you are put in prison, if you are not guilty. There are much more guilty people outside the prisons, than innocent inside! If Amanda knox was put in prison, it means that there were big evidences against her, I can assure it: Italian judiciary system works this way. The fact that the trial took almost two years means that now the judgment is right, they wanted to be sure before closing the trial.

Anyway, the most stupid thing I keep hearing is that Italy convicted this girl simply because she is American. How can you say something like this? A girl was murdered, there was a trial, and Amanda knox was treated exactly like any other suspected, Italian or not. It's non sense saying it has something to do with nationality; and, honestly it's not us who did something like this, do you remember Sacco and Vanzetti? !

Because its caused alot of controversy.

There is argument Knox was 'guilty' from the beginning and the Italian judicial system is corrupt.

Forensics completely messed up at the crime scene. Many forensic experts argue whether the DNA on the knife was sufficient evidence. Knox claimed she was there at the time and her former boss assaulted Meredith.. then changed her story and said she was in her then boyfriends the night Meredith died. Her defence argue she was exhausted and police interrogation tactics led her to make the comments. She was also seen giggling and buying lingerie a few days after the murder.. so theres always going to be arguments about this and that.. Merediths family will be pleased by the verdict as they have some sort of closure.. Knox's family will feel this has been an injustice so i dont expect this to go away any time soon.

in addition to it being a horrific murder, its likely because she's a young, attractive, and middle class, whether it's right or not.

and yes it also sounds like the death of a promising young woman has been overshadowed by media sensation and what sounds like a questionable trial. i'm reserving judgment on whether or not she really did it or played a role. how can any of us who weren't there say for sure? as i said, it's not right but looks can and do play a role in these things. being young, caucasian, and pretty in another instance may have worked in her favor. in this case it seems to have worked against her (again, making no comments on her guilt or innocence), being portrayed as a privileged college student, afforded the opportunity to study abroad in italy, and supposedly "promiscuous" and a "party girl" (whatever that really means. i'm only referring to the media portrayal of her, which may or may not be what she's really like. not knowing her and having been unaware of this tragedy until with in the past couple weeks, i cannot say). basically the media painted a picture of a spoiled brat- again, may or may not be true. if it is, well one thing i should say is that neither proves nor disproves her guilt.

Ms. Knox is guilty. Please understand, criminal courts differ from one country to another. Although many think that she was convicted in the press, that is untrue. The Italian people are very aware of their press. As we here in the USA are, e.g., Fox is Republican and CNBC is Democrat. Most people are not fooled by the press. Its all fake.

Second, Ms. Knox is guilty. In Canada, news about trials is not released outside of the country. In Italy, we see similar behavior, i.e., much of the gruesome evidence about the murder was concealed and only provided to the jurors, etc. For example, Ms. Knox and beau washed the knife (even though the defense contended it was not the murder knife) in bleach. Do you regularly wash your knives in bleach? No one washes their knives in bleach. Unless, they have something to hide.

Third, Ms. Knox is guilty. I've been within the USA judicial system for over 30 years. You do not wash knives in bleach.

Finally, murder trials, especially sensational ones, have been big news since the O.J. Simpson murder trial (which was carried on all major networks throughout the world). The corporations make a fortune from such coverage (advertisement revenue pays for the news). Recall, Italy is capitalistic. Like the USA. They may have a socialistic system, but, the corporations need to make a profit in the same manner as the US corporations. Murder and Sex sells. And that is the bottom line.

I'm certain her parents are devastated, but, when one leaves home for the first time, one must behave. Remember, the USA is not the world.

LOL at everyone saying the Italian legal system is so corrupt while the American system is fair. Remember O.J Simpson getting off with murder even with extensive DNA evidence & lots of other proof?

The women who died didn't slit her own throat. The 3 of them tried to make the murder look like a thief broke in and did the killing. Amanda tried to frame an innocent person for the crime.

She is not a good person. If she wasn't American you wouldn't even care.

Some Americans are so arrogant that they think they can go to any country and do anything they feel like doing including murder and get away with it. What are people teaching their kids these days is the big question here? Obviously, not respect for the law or the lives of other human beings.

Because the trial has been going on for close to a year and there is essentially ZERO evidence. I would expect a trial like this involving a young American overseas somewhere to be big news in the US. I also think people are so interested in it because it really makes them think about traveling abroad and how to behave when traveling abroad. But the entire case was thrown together with no hardcore evidence which is shocking to most people.

She admits to smoking pot and having sex with her boyfriend the night of the murder. Foxy Knoxy she calls herself. Doesn't sound like a nice Jesuit trained girl to me.