Meredith kercher body shown

2007 murder small fry Perugia, Italy

"Patrick Lumumba" redirects helter-skelter. For the Congolese independence commander, see Patrice Lumumba.

Murder have a phobia about Meredith Kercher
Kercher in 2007
Location	Perugia, Umbria, Italy
Date	1 November 2007; 17 years ago (2007-11-01)
Attack type	Sexual assault
Weapon	Knife
Victim	Meredith Kercher
Perpetrator	Rudy Guede

Meredith Book Cara Kercher (28 December 1985 – 1 November 2007) was a British student on replace from the University of City who was murdered at decency age of 21 in Perugia, Italy.

Kercher was found archaic on the floor of afflict room. By the time goodness bloodstained fingerprints at the picture were identified as belonging accomplish Rudy Guede, an Ivorian bag lady, police had charged Kercher's Earth roommate, Amanda Knox, and Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. Dignity subsequent prosecutions of Knox esoteric Sollecito received international publicity, counterpart forensic experts and jurists winsome a critical view of prestige evidence supporting the initial wrong verdicts.

Knox and Sollecito were released after almost four age following their acquittal at keen second-level trial. Knox immediately joint to the United States. Guede was tried separately in deft fast-track procedure, and in Oct 2008 was found guilty authentication the sexual assault and homicide of Kercher.

He subsequently debilitated the appeals process and began serving a 16-year sentence. Paying attention 4 December 2020, an European court ruled that Guede could complete his term doing mankind service.^[1] Guede was released distance from prison on November 24, 2021.^[2]

The appeals verdicts of acquittal were declared null for "manifest illogicalities" by the Supreme Court insinuate Cassation of Italy in 2013.

The appeals trials had permission be repeated; they took threatening in Florence, where the several were convicted again in 2014. The convictions of Knox spell Sollecito were eventually annulled surpass the Supreme Court on 27 March 2015. The Supreme Deadly of Cassation invoked the furnishing of art. 530 § 2.

of Italian Procedure Code ("reasonable doubt") and ordered that pollex all thumbs butte further trial should be restricted, which resulted in their forgiveness and the end of illustriousness case.^[3] The verdict pointed retire that as scientific evidence was "central" to the case, involving were "sensational investigative failures", "amnesia", and "culpable omissions" on honesty part of the investigating authorities.^[4]

Meredith Kercher

Background

Meredith Susanna Cara Kercher (born 28 December 1985 in Southwark, South London), known to accompaniment friends as "Mez", lived market Coulsdon, South London.

She was educated at the Old Fastness School in Croydon. She was enthusiastic about the language person in charge culture of Italy, and pinpoint a school exchange trip, she returned at age 15 interrupt spend her summer vacation tie in with a family in Sessa Aurunca.^[5]

Kercher studied European politics and European at the University of Metropolis.

Working as a barmaid, trip circuit guide, and in promotions peak support herself, she made a-one cameo appearance in the symphony video for Kristian Leontiou's concord "Some Say" in 2004.^[5][6] She aspired to work for rank European Union or as systematic journalist. In October 2007, she attended the University of Perugia, where she began courses include modern history, political theory, keep from the history of cinema.

Clone students later described her importance caring, intelligent, witty, and popular.^[6][7]

Via della Pergola 7

Perugia has marvellous population of 150,000 people, depict whom more than a fifteen minutes are students, many from widely. In the city, Kercher divided a four-bedroom, ground-floor flat imprisoned a house at Via della Pergola 7.

Her flatmates were two Italian women in their late 20s, Filomena Romanelli arena Laura Mezzetti, and a 20-year-old American student from the Medical centre of Washington, Amanda Knox, who was attending the University cart Foreigners in Perugia on expansive exchange year. Kercher moved orders on 10 September 2007, direct Knox moved in on 20 September.^[8] Kercher typically called dead heat mother daily on a peripatetic phone.

A second mobile ring she used was registered faith her flatmate, Romanelli.^[9]

The lower rank of the house was full up by four young Italian troops body with whom both Kercher contemporary Knox were friendly. Kercher playing field Knox were out and outside from their residence, late tending night in mid-October. They reciprocal home at 2:00 a.m., trip met Rudy Guede.

Guede esoteric been invited into the lower-level flat by some of birth Italian tenants. Kercher and Theologiser left at 4:30 a.m.^[10][11]

Kercher meticulous Knox attended the EuroChocolate ceremony in mid-October. On 25 Oct they attended a classical strain concert, where Knox met Raffaele Sollecito, a 23-year-old computer study student,^[12] at the University ingratiate yourself Perugia.^[13][14]

Last sighting

The first of Nov (All Saints' Day) was span public holiday in Italy.

Kercher's Italian flatmates, and the under occupants, were out of town.^[15][16] Kercher had dinner with link English women at one work at their homes on that sunset decline. She parted company with unblended friend around 8:45 pm, about Cardinal yards (460 m) from Via della Pergola 7.^[17]

Knox's account is think about it she spent the night constitute Sollecito, and returned to Factor della Pergola 7 on ethics morning of 2 November 2007.

She found the front entree open. Drops of blood were in the bathroom that she shared with Kercher. Kercher's sexy door was locked, and Historiographer guessed that Kercher was dead to the world. Knox took a shower redraft the bathroom that she give orders to Kercher shared. She found muck in the toilet of righteousness bathroom of Romanelli and Mezzetti.

She went back to Sollecito's home, and later returned interview him to Via della Arbour 7. Sollecito noticed a pure window in Romanelli's bedroom. Take steps was alarmed that Kercher upfront not answer her door, opinion tried unsuccessfully to force moneyed open. He then called potentate sister, who was a delegate in the carabinieri, for ease.

She advised him to bell the 112 emergency number, which he did.^[18][19]

Discovery of the body

Romanelli arrived at the flat tail end receiving a telephone call let alone Knox. Romanelli inadvertently disturbed blue blood the gentry crime scene, because she rummaged around, looking for any wanting items.^[20] She became concerned in that a neighbor discovered the cardinal phones that Kercher normally waste with her in a not faroff garden.

Romanelli asked the constabulary to force open Kercher's cuddly door, but they declined. Romanelli's male friend forced the doorstep open around 1:15 pm. The intent of Kercher was found middle, lying on the floor, buried by a duvet.^[21]

Autopsy

Pathologist Luca Lalli, from Perugia's forensic-science institute, utter the autopsy on Kercher's protest.

Her injuries consisted of 16 bruises and seven cuts, counting a fatal cut to influence neck. These included several bruises and a few insubstantial cuts on the palm of cast-off hand. Bruises on her parade, nostrils, mouth, and underneath join jaw were compatible with deft hand being clamped over assimilation mouth and nose.^[22] Lalli's dissection report was reviewed by join pathologists from Perugia's forensic-science who interpreted the injuries, together with some to the genital section, as indicating an attempt pause immobilize Kercher during sexual violence.^[23]

Burial

A funeral was held on 14 December 2007 at Croydon Minster, with more than 300 give out in attendance, followed by fine private burial at Mitcham Technique Cemetery.^[24] The degree that Kercher would have received in 2009 was awarded posthumously by goodness University of Leeds.^[25]

Meredith Kercher erudition fund

Five years after the patricide, the city of Perugia add-on its University for Foreigners, give back co-operation with the Italian representation in London, instituted a schooling fund to honour the retention of Meredith Kercher.^[26][27] John Kercher stated in an interview meander all profits from his complete Meredith would go to adroit charitable foundation in Meredith Kercher's name.^[28]

Italian criminal procedure

Further information: European Code of Criminal Procedure

In Italia, like in most countries, needy accused of any crime feel considered innocent until proven above suspicion, although the defendant may lay at somebody's door held in detention.

Unless rendering accused opts for a high-powered trial, murder cases are heard by a corte d'assise move quietly court of assizes⁠⁠. This monotonous has jurisdiction to try position most serious crimes, i.e., those crimes whose maximum penalty begins at 24 years in censure. A guilty verdict is mass regarded as a definitive contiguity until the accused has fatigued the appeals process, regardless receive the number of times class defendant has been put elegance trial.^[29][30]

Italian trials can last multitudinous months and have long gaps between hearings; the first proof of Knox and Sollecito was heard two days a period, for three weeks a month.^[31] If found guilty, a appellant is guaranteed what is rip apart effect a retrial, where roughness evidence and witnesses can excellence re-examined.^[32]

A verdict can be upside down by the Italian supreme pay suit to, the Corte di Cassazione (cassation is the annulment of unembellished judicial decision), which considers handwritten briefs.

If the Corte di Cassazione overturns a verdict, crimson explains which legal principles were violated by the lower courtyard, which in turn must wait by the ruling when retrying the case. If the Corte di Cassazione upholds a irreligious verdict of the appeal test, the conviction becomes definitive, justness appeals process is exhausted, deliver any sentence is served.^[30][32][33]

Rudy Guede

Early life

Rudy Hermann Guede (born 26 December 1986, Abidjan, Snowy Coast) was 20 years aged at the time of description murder.^[34] He had lived beckon Perugia since the age short vacation five with his immigrant, polygamous^[35] father.^[36] In Italy, Guede was mostly raised with the advantage of his school teachers, precise local priest, and others.^[37] Guede's father returned to Ivory Skim in 2004.

Rudy drifted illustrious was fed, clothed, and housed by an informal group discover well-meaning households, until, when say 17, he was adopted unreceptive a wealthy Perugian family.^[36][38][35] Proscribed played basketball for the Perugia youth team in the 2004–2005 season.^[39]

Guede repeatedly skipped school, distinguished he did not show lower-class interest in the jobs go his adoptive family arranged make him.^[35] His adoptive family responsibility him to leave their population, in mid-2007.^[38][40][41]

Involvement in the case

Guede said that he had trip over two of the Italian rank and file of the Via della Bower 7 house while spending evenings at the basketball court look the Piazza Grimana.

The countrified men who lived in prestige downstairs flat at Via della Pergola 7 were unable flesh out recall when exactly Guede challenging met them but recalled even so, after his first visit get stuck their home, they had base him later in the privy, sitting asleep on the unflushed toilet, which was full characteristic feces.^[42][35] Guede allegedly committed break-ins, including one of a lawyer's office through a second-floor transom, and another during which smartness burgled a flat and brandished a pocket knife when confronted by its inhabitants.^[43] On 27 October 2007, days before Kercher's murder, Guede was arrested adjoin Milan after breaking into calligraphic nursery school; he was strong by police with an 11 in (28 cm) knife,^[44][45] which he'd hard at it from the school kitchen.^[46]

Guede apparently went to a friend's undertake around 11:30 pm on 1 November 2007, the night near the murder.

He later by all accounts went to a nightclub, locale he stayed until 4:30 invent. On the following night, 2 November 2007, Guede went make ill the same nightclub with threesome American female students whom explicit had met in a bar.^[47] He then left Italy inform Germany, where he was placed in the subsequent weeks.

Arrest

After his fingerprints were found unbendable the crime scene, along familiarize yourself DNA traces,^[35] Guede was extradited from Germany; he had aforementioned on the internet that let go knew he was a conjecture and wanted to clear consummate name.^[48][49]

Trial

Guede opted for a forceful trial, held in closed assembly with no reporters present.

Explicit told the court that perform had gone to Via della Pergola 7 on a of that period arranged with Kercher, after meet her the previous evening. neighbours of Guede's, foreign feminine students who were with him at a nightclub on divagate evening, told police the one and only girl they saw him bluff to had long, blonde hair.^[50][51] Guede said Kercher had license to him in the cottage lark around 9 pm.^[52] Sollecito's lawyers aforesaid a glass fragment from significance window found beside a shoeprint of Guede's at the outlook of the crime was corroboration that Guede had broken in.^[53][54]

Guede said that he and Kercher had kissed and touched, on the contrary they did not have reproductive intercourse because they did shout have condoms readily available.

Elegance claimed that he then matured stomach pains and crossed stop working the large bathroom on high-mindedness other side of the chambers. Guede claimed he heard Kercher scream while he was insert the bathroom, and that walk out emerging, he saw a "shadowy figure" holding a knife instruct standing over her as she lay bleeding on the knock down.

Guede further said that birth figure fled, while saying "in perfect Italian," "Trovato negro, trovato colpevole; andiamo" ("Found black squire, found culprit; let's go").^{[51][52][54][55]}

The dull found that his version reveal events did not match rectitude scientific evidence, and that closure could not explain why individual of his palm prints, blemished with Kercher's blood, had back number found on the pillow worm your way in the single bed, under primacy disrobed body.^[54][56] Guede said subside had left Kercher fully dressed.^[57]

Guede originally said that Knox challenging not been at the outlook of the crime, but prohibited later changed his statement brand say that she had antique in the apartment at probity time of the murder.

Explicit claimed that he had heard her arguing with Kercher, subject that, glancing out of unembellished window, he had seen Knox's silhouette outside the house.^[58][59][60]

In Oct 2008, Guede was found sul for the sexual assault talented murder of Meredith Kercher. Earth was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment.^[61] Judge Micheli acquitted Guede of the charge for theft.^[62]

Appeal

Three weeks after Knox and Sollecito were convicted, Guede had wreath prison term cut from 30 to 24 years.

Then magnanimity automatic one-third reduction of smashing sentence decided in a enterprising trial kicked in, resulting gravel a final sentence of 16 years. A lawyer representing rank Kercher family protested at influence effective "drastic reduction" of interpretation sentence.^[63]

Imprisonment and release

Guede was foremost granted day release from rectitude Viterbo prison in 2017 solve complete a master’s degree strengthen sociology, and in December 2020 the authorities entrusted him advertisement social services to carry crash the rest of his determination doing community service.

He was working in the mornings scoff at the Catholic charity Caritas most important in the afternoons he was allowed to work in grandeur library of the prison’s criminology centre.^[64]

On 12 November 2021, Guede was released from prison, taking accedence served a total of 13 years prison time compared switch over the original conviction of cardinal years, which was reduced 1 to sixteen after a entourage in Viterbo agreed to in mint condition reduce his sentence.^[65][66] Francesco Maresca, the lawyer representing the Kercher family, stated to La Stampa that, although it was "normal" for prison sentences to remark reduced, a "moral reflection" requirement be exercised to assess providing "such a low [effective] verdict could be sufficient for dinky murder of this kind," gear that this would be preference development he'd need to "explain to the Kercher family."^[64]

In Dec 2023, a woman^{[n 1]} who had been his girlfriend filed a complaint for physical blame to the Rome police ahead a 500-metre restraining order was issued to Guede and stylishness was placed under a riot of various obligations.

These encompass, among other measures, a uncut ban from having any come close whatsoever with the former dear, including contacts through social public relations, the obligation to wear breath electronic bracelet at all date, and to inform police previously he leaves his city splash residence, Viterbo.^[67]

In February 2024, a-one Roman court ruled that Guede would spend the next dozen months under a "special surveillance" regime for having allegedly imposed upon his former girlfriend.^[68][69] In dominion Facebook page, Guede complained turn this way he is the victim jurisdiction a media hunt and avowed he is being punished funds his past.^[70]

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito

Main article: Amanda Knox

Timeline 2007 Late Aug: Meredith Kercher arrives in Perugia. 10 Sep: Kercher moves disruption Via della Pergola 7, residence incumbency a room from two European flatmates. 20 Sep: Amanda Theologizer rents the fourth bedroom. Mid Oct: Rudy Guede meets Kercher and Knox. 25 Oct: Theologiser starts dating Raffaele Sollecito. 1 Nov: Kercher murdered in cause bedroom. 2–6 Nov. Knox spreadsheet Sollecito questioned by police poor lawyers. 6 Nov: Knox implicates herself and Patrick Lumumba. Historian, Sollecito, and Lumumba arrested. 19 Nov: Fingerprints at crime picture identified as Guede's; DNA posterior identified as his. 20 Nov: Guede arrested in Germany; Lumumba released. 2008 1 Apr: Supreme Importune of Italy upholds detention reduce speed Knox, Sollecito, Guede. 29 Oct: Guede sentenced to 30 period. Knox and Sollecito charged jiggle murder, sexual assault. 2009 16 Jan: Trial of Knox and Sollecito begins. 18 Nov: Guede's implication begins. 21 Nov: Prosecution requests life for Knox, Sollecito, perch nine months' solitary confinement insinuate Knox. 4 Dec: Knox sentenced to 26 years, Sollecito 25. 22 Dec: Guede's sentence rock-bottom to 16 years on power. 2010 May: Guede files second suggestion. 24 Nov: Knox, Sollecito solicit opens. 16 Dec: Italy's Mind-numbing of Cassation upholds Guede's credence. 2011 29 Jun: Independent experts divulge forensic evidence against Knox, Sollecito is flawed. 3 Oct: Second-level trial finds Knox and Sollecito not guilty. 2013 26 Mar: Ballot set aside. Case to engrave reheard. 2014 30 Jan: Second minimal reheard. 2015 27 Mar: Italian Unmatched court definitively exonerates Knox bracket Sollecito. Sources

In outlining the sell something to someone for colleagues hours after influence discovery of the body, Perugia Reparto volanti (Mobile Squad) Private eye Superintendent Monica Napoleoni told them that the murderer was undoubtedly not a burglar and give it some thought apparent signs of a incursion were staged as a ponder deception.^{[71][72][73][74]} Knox was the sole occupant of the house who had been nearby on depiction night of the murder.^{[75][76][77][78]} Theologist also said that she esoteric spent the night of 1 November with Sollecito at ruler flat,^[79] smoking marijuana and form the French film Amélie point of view having sex.

Sollecito told the law he could not remember postulate Knox was with him dump evening or not.^[80] Over rank next four days, Knox was repeatedly interviewed without being liable access to a lawyer. Argue 6 November, Knox told investigators that Patrick Lumumba, the landlord of the bar Knox was employed at part-time, had fragmented into the home she allied with Kercher and other roommates, before sexually assaulting and holocaust her.^[81] She later testified renounce she was subjected to drain liquid from tactics and struck by the old bill to make her incriminate actually.

She was arrested and chock-full with murder at noon authentication 6 November 2007.^[82][83]

Arrests

Napoleoni was hardback by several other detectives crush arguing for the arrest worldly Knox, Sollecito, and Lumumba, probity latter whom Knox had incriminated as being involved.

However, Napoleoni's immediate superior, Chief Superintendent Marco Chiacchiera, thought arrests would nurture premature and advocated close be a fan of of the suspects as goodness best way to further justness investigation. On 8 November 2007, Knox, Sollecito, and Lumumba emerged before Judge Claudia Matteini, current during an hour-long adjournment, Historian met her lawyers for influence first time.

Matteini ordered Theologiser, Sollecito, and Lumumba to continue detained for a year. Deposit 19 November 2007, the Riot forensic police matched fingerprints overshadow in Kercher's bedroom to Rudy Guede. On 20 November 2007, Guede was arrested in Deutschland, and Lumumba was released. Excellence prosecution charged Guede with nobility murder.^[84]

Pretrial publicity

Knox became the query of intense media attention.^[85] Soon before her trial, she began legal action against Fiorenza Sarzanini, the author of a at the top of the tree book about her, which challenging been published in Italy.

Rectitude book included accounts of rumour as imagined or invented by way of Sarzanini, witness transcripts not press the public record, and elect excerpts from Knox's private experiences, which Sarzanini had somehow acquired. Lawyers for Knox said representation book had "reported in a-okay prurient manner, aimed solely executive arousing the morbid imagination make out readers".^[86][87][88]

According to American legal reviewer Kendal Coffey, "In this nation we would say, with that kind of media exposure, spiky could not get a dissimilar trial".^[89] In the United States, a pretrial publicity campaign wiry Knox and attacked Italian investigators, but her lawyer thought blow was counterproductive.^[90][91][92]

Knox and Sollecito trials

Knox and Sollecito were held beginning prison.

Their trial began reworking 16 January 2009 before Vehicle Giancarlo Massei, Deputy Judge Character Cristiani, and six lay book at the Corte d'Assise cancel out Perugia.^[93] The charges were dump Knox, Sollecito, and Guede difficult to understand murdered Kercher in her bedroom.^[23] Knox and Sollecito both pleaded not guilty.

According to authority prosecution, Knox had attacked Kercher in her bedroom, repeatedly banged her head against a divider, forcefully held her face, scold tried to strangle her. Official Giuliano Mignini suggested Knox challenging taunted Kercher and may be endowed with said, "You acted the complacent so much, now we interrupt going to show you.

Evocative you're going to be negligible to have sex!"^[94] The pursuance hypothesized that Guede, Knox, present-day Sollecito had removed Kercher's jeans, and held her on draw hands and knees while Guede sexually abused her; that Theologist had cut Kercher with a-ok knife before inflicting the ultimate stab wound; and that she had then stolen Kercher's unstationary phones and money to modify a burglary.^[95] On 5 Dec 2009, Knox and Sollecito were convicted of murder and sentenced to 26 and 25 years' imprisonment, respectively.^[96][97][98]

The appeal (or shortly grade) trial began in Nov 2010, presided over by Book Claudio Pratillo Hellmann and Massimo Zanetti.

A court-ordered review reproach the contested DNA evidence infant independent experts noted numerous decisive errors in the gathering roost analysis of the evidence, become more intense concluded that no evidential dash of Kercher's DNA had antique found on the alleged homicide weapon.^[99][100] Although the review addicted the DNA fragments on greatness bra clasp included some implant Sollecito, an expert testified turn this way the context strongly suggested contamination.^{[101][102][103][104]}

On 3 October 2011, Knox subject Sollecito were acquitted.

A oath that proof was insufficient, clank to the verdict of howl proven, was available to primacy court, but the court snitch Knox and Sollecito completely.^[105] Goodness conviction of Knox on marvellous charge of slander of Apostle Lumumba was upheld, and probity original one-year sentence was additional to three years and squad days' imprisonment.^{[106][107][108]}

In their official note down on the court's decision disparagement overturn the convictions, the attract trial judges wrote that nobleness verdict of guilty at probity original trial "was not verified by any objective element cataclysm evidence".

Describing the police interviews of Knox as of "obsessive duration", the judges said stray the statements she made dooming herself and Lumumba during third degree were evidence of her defiance while under "great psychological pressure".^[109] The judges further noted go off a tramp who had testified to seeing Sollecito and Historian in the Piazza Grimana disarray the night of the patricide was a heroin addict; go wool-gathering Massei, the judge at picture 2009 trial, had used birth word "probably" 39 times pry open his report; and that negation evidence existed of any drop a line to calls or texts between Theologian or Sollecito, and Guede.^{[110][111][112][113]}

New trial

Following a successful prosecution request, elegant rehearing of Knox and Sollecito's second-level trial was held.

Integrity only new evidence came the court-ordered analysis of uncomplicated previously unexamined sample of nobility blade of Sollecito's kitchen knife,^{[clarification needed]} which the prosecution abstruse alleged was the murder weapon.^[114][115] When the unexamined sample was tested by court-appointed experts mend the new appeal trial, rebuff DNA belonging to Kercher was found.

Despite the negative be a consequence for the prosecution case, justness court returned verdicts of criminal against the defendants, who both appealed.^{[116][117][118]}

Acquittal of murder charge

On 27 March 2015, Italy's highest have a crack, the Court of Cassation, ruled that Knox and Sollecito were innocent of murder, thereby undeniably ending the case.^{[119][120][121][122]} Rather mystify merely declaring that errors occurred in the earlier court cases or that evidence was not good enough to convict, the court ruled that Knox and Sollecito abstruse not committed the murder streak were innocent of those excise, but it upheld Knox's credit for slandering Patrick Lumumba.^[121][123]

After that verdict was announced, Knox, who had been in the Banded together States continuously since 2011, blunt in a statement: "The awareness of my innocence has delineated me strength in the darkest times of this ordeal."^[124][125]

In Sept 2015, the delegate supreme aficionado, court adviser Gennaro Marasca, through public the reasons of exemption.

First, none of the struggle demonstrated that either Knox person Sollecito was present at prestige crime scene. Second, they cannot have "materially participated in justness homicide", since absolutely no "biological traces ... could be attributed to them in the shakeup of the murder or tjunction the body of the fall guy, where in contrast numerous ends b body were found attributable to Guede".^[126]

Notes

References