Amanda Knox has been “crucified” in the media, her defence lawyer argued is his closing statement for the 24-year-old American's appeal against her conviction for murdering Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy in 2007.
Carlo Dalla Vedova, representing Knox, said: "Knox has been crucified in a public square, subjected to the most sinister of speculations. All, regardless of their nationalities, have offended Amanda Knox."
Dalla Vedova pointed out the numerous mistakes that had been made during the initial police investigation and also told how the independent report into the DNA evidence, ordered by the appeal judge, had been invaluable to the defence team saying: "The truth never dies."
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He told the court: 'Yes you must show respect for the poor victim Meredith Kercher and her mother and father but do not make the mistake of putting two innocents in jail. Pain is not a judicial argument.”
He continued: "Amanda has been through a tornado, a tsunami but discussion and debate on this case should take place in court not outside."
He told the jurors not to be afraid to recognise that the court that had convicted Knox had made a mistake.
"That's exactly why we have appeals – courts can make mistakes," he said. "Nobody is infallible."
Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison in 2009 for the murder of British student Kercher, 21, who was found stabbed to death in what appeared to have started out as a sexual assault.
Knox’s Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, was also jailed for 25 years for the crime.
Sollecito is also appealing against his conviction.
Drug dealer Rudy Guede from the Ivory Coast, was also convicted of the murder and sexual assault but had his 30-year prison sentence reduced to 16 years on appeal.
Knox’s appeal verdict is expected on Monday.
