Trial of Amanda Knox Continues with College Friends’ Support By By Carol Forsloff Jul 2, 2009 in Crime The young woman on trial in Italy for murdering her housemate continues to plead innocence as family and friends support her. The Amanda Knox trial continues to raise controversy at the time Knox would have graduated from college. The Knox has claimed she stayed the night at Sollecito’s apartment where the two smoked marijuana and had sex on the night Kercher was killed. In her testimony Knox was reported to have been somewhat rattled during questioning but that she continued to assert her innocence and to claim“police treated her brutally during questioning, that they hit her on the head, and continued to demand answers. Knox explains this as the reason she has given accounts of what happened the night of Kercher’s death. Knox's parents continue to support their daughter, even as Knox told the court her accusation of Diya "Patrick" Lumumba as being the killer came as a result of police pressure. Lumumba was held just briefly by police, then cleared and released. Police deny they did anything improper during the investigation even as Knox repeated her accusation of it during questioning by lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini. The prosecution in this case believe a kitchen knife found at Sollecito’s apartment was the murder weapon and claim Sollecito held Kercher from behind while Guede tried to assault her, and then Knox stabled Kercher in the throat. Defense attorneys contend the Knox’s college friends have been named as witnesses and some have been interviewed in the United States, declaring Knox to have been a good person and good student, although Knox’s friend, As Knox and her allies continue to defend the young woman at a murder trial in Italy, this is the time she would have graduated from college at the University of Washington. It is a particularly poignant time for friends who are giving their support and relating details in Seattle newspapers. It is also a time when friends and family continue to memorialize Knox is on trial for killing her housemate Meredith Kercher in what has been described as a sex game in 2007. Her then boyfriend. Raffaele Sollecito, whom she had known for a very short time before the described event, is also on trial for allegedly participating in the killing. Rudy Hermann Guede, another defendant, has already been convicted of the murder despite his denial of involvement.The trial of Amanda Knox , 21, a Seattle University of Washington student, continued in Perugia, a small town in Italy, as her parents and friends have also testified. Knox herself was also on the stand in her own defense during the past month. She has continued to deny the killing of Kercher, originally declaring a man named Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was guilty. Later she recanted the story, saying that she had said this under pressure from police.Knox has claimed she stayed the night at Sollecito’s apartment where the two smoked marijuana and had sex on the night Kercher was killed.In her testimony Knox was reported to have been somewhat rattled during questioning but that she continued to assert her innocence and to claim“police treated her brutally during questioning, that they hit her on the head, and continued to demand answers. Knox explains this as the reason she has given accounts of what happened the night of Kercher’s death.Knox's parents continue to support their daughter, even as Knox told the court her accusation of Diya "Patrick" Lumumba as being the killer came as a result of police pressure. Lumumba was held just briefly by police, then cleared and released. Police deny they did anything improper during the investigation even as Knox repeated her accusation of it during questioning by lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini.The prosecution in this case believe a kitchen knife found at Sollecito’s apartment was the murder weapon and claim Sollecito held Kercher from behind while Guede tried to assault her, and then Knox stabled Kercher in the throat.Defense attorneys contend the murder of Miss Kercher was similar to burglaries committed by Rudy Guede, 22, described as a jobless drifter from the Ivory Coast. Guede, found guilty in a separate trial in October 2008, was sentenced to 30 years. Prosecuting attorneys on the other hand maintain that all three defendants, Knox, Sollecito and Guede acted together in killing Kercher.Knox’s college friends have been named as witnesses and some have been interviewed in the United States, declaring Knox to have been a good person and good student, although Knox’s friend, Andrew Seliber , did say at one time she was given a citation for noise violation from music at a party in her home. One friend weighed in on national television, as she appeared in Italy to give character witness, to underline Knox’s good character. Supporters in Seattle continue to solicit funds for Knox’s defense and have a website devoted to helping raise money to help Knox, whom they continue to claim was an honor student of good character. Time magazine asks the question “How strong is the case against Amanda Knox?” in its June edition, now online. The magazine relates the details of the case, then interviews attorney Anne Bremner, working pro bono with supporters of Knox. Bremner told Time the evidence was mostly circumstantial and maintains the knife cited as the murder weapon doesn’t match the outline on a sheet found at the crime scene.As Knox and her allies continue to defend the young woman at a murder trial in Italy, this is the time she would have graduated from college at the University of Washington. It is a particularly poignant time for friends who are giving their support and relating details in Seattle newspapers. It is also a time when friends and family continue to memorialize Meredith Kercher while the case of Amanda Knox continues to be headlines in Italian tabloids and other newspapers in Europe. More about Amanda knox, Meredith kercher, Murder trial italy More news from amanda knox meredith kercher murder trial italy