Amanda Knox

You’ve probably heard the story that is breaking out of Italy this week. A British Exchange student, Meredith Kercher, 20, was found murdered in her bedroom, and one of the accused is American-born, University of Washington student, Amanda Knox, also 20. Both girls shared a house with other students while living abroad.

Reports are saying “Extreme Sex Game killed Meredith.”

Steve Huff over at True Crime Weblog details the story here, if you want to get into all the details.

Several papers have printed a statement made by Knox to police, and if this statement is true, I find it quite interesting and telling that perhaps Ms. Knox is not being forthright with us.

Read more Knox says:

“Patrick and Meredith were in Meredith’s room while I stayed in the kitchen. I can’t remember how long they were together in the room, but I can only say that at a certain point I heard Meredith screaming and I was scared so I covered my ears. After that, I don’t remember everything, my head is very confused.” (source)

Furthermore, there is this report:

Ms Knox made her “confession” to police when she was taken in for questioning at dawn yesterday. She had claimed earlier to have left the cottage at 5pm on Thursday and returned only the next morning when Ms Kercher’s body was discovered. She now admits that she was at the house. She said that on the evening of November 1 she had met Mr Lumumba, who owned the Le Chic pub where she sometimes worked, at about 9pm after they had exchanged texts. She told police they had gone to the cottage. “I don’t remember if my friend Meredith was already there or whether she came later. What I can say is that [Meredith and Patrick] went off together.” (source)

It has been pointed out to me that Knox’s statement may have been translated from English to Italian to English again. If this is the case, I withdraw any and all conclusions, as it is ESSENTIAL for me to have Knox’s words VERBATIM to make a determination (see comment section below).

If these are Knox’s words verbatim, the four-sentence statement (above) gives us many red flags that are hard to ignore.

1. The choice of words “while I stayed in the kitchen” is indicative that Knox was somehow doing something with Patrick and Meredith…yet in the report above, she does not say she is. This is contradictory. “To stay” is indicative of “staying behind” as if to break away from the group.
2. The words “I can only say” and “at a certain point” are unique as well. When we recollect a story, we don’t talk like this. When we are controlling facts and being deceptive, however, we do. We only remember details that are important to us, and forget the rest. Knox really wants us to know that she wasn’t in the room, but doesn’t remember anything else. How interesting is that?
3. “I was scared so I covered my ears.” When people are afraid because someone is screaming, they typically react by (A) running away for help, or (B) running to the aid of the screamer. Fear evokes a response.You don’t ignore a fearful/terrifying scream from someone, and hope it goes away by covering your ears when you or they could be in danger…unless, of course you know the reason behind the screams — and know you are not in danger.
4. “After that, I don’t remember everything” When people are deceptive, the often have a selective memory — remembering “only” what they want us to know and forgetting everything else. It’s so convenient. Too convenient — especially considering strong emotions should have been elicited by the screams — which in turn should have burned searing memories that can’t be purged, no matter how hard she tries. Yet Knox seems to only remember one selective thing. I’m not buying it.

If Knox wasn’t in the room participating in the killing, then her words (if they are indeed hers) certainly hint that she knew what was going on behind those closed doors. It hints she was involved with Patrick and Meredith, yet her story is leaving out any involvement with Meredith.

Each of these four sentences has a red flag in it. That’s a strong indication of deception. I don’t believe Knox is being honest with us –if these do in fact prove to be her words verbatim. That is now the question.

* Modification added 11/10/07 4:14 PM

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