American Coed Suspected in Murder of British Roommate

By Pamela Mortimer

An Italian court is trying to determine whether there will be a trial in the murder of Meredith Kercher, 21, a student sharing a rented house with an American coed in the university city of Perugia, located in central Italy. Kercher was stabbed to death on November 1.

Suspects in the case include Amanda Knox, 21, an exchange student from the University of Washington in Seattle; Kercher’s former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and Rudy Hermann Guede, a citizen from the Ivory Coast. Although all suspects have denied involvement in the murder, Guede has admitted to being in Kercher’s room, where the body was found.

According to the prosecution, Kercher was strangled and then stabbed in the neck. It has also been alleged that Guede sexually violated Kercher with the assistance of the other two suspects.

The charges brought against the suspects include Kercher’s murder, sexual assault, and theft, including two credit cards, two cell phones and $475 in cash.

The suspects cast guilt upon themselves by giving conflicting statements to the police. Additionally, Knox’s DNA was found on the handle of the murder weapon; Kercher’s blood and DNA were found on the knife’s blade.

Out of the three suspects, Knox and Guede chose to attend the proceedings. Sollecito used his right to skip the hearing and instead chose to remain in jail. The results of the closed hearing will determine if one or all of the suspects will be held responsible for Kercher’s death.

Also attending the hearing were Kercher's parents and sister. The family’s lawyer made a formal request to attach a civil suit to the proceedings, which would allow the Kerchers to obtain otherwise privileged information typically available only to prosecutors and attorneys for the defense. Italian law states that civil lawsuits may be attached to criminal trials.

Italian Judge Paolo Micheli was on the bench for the hearing and is expected to present a ruling on the potential indictment in the next several weeks.

Part of the delay may be attributed to another hearing scheduled for September 26th and 27th, when witnesses will be called to testify.

Kercher's family said they hoped for justice.

"We're pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," said Stephanie Kercher, Meredith’s sister. The family met with reporters on Monday and spoke of Meredith’s "caring, loving nature, and laughter," and how she "loved everything about Italy."