Amanda Knox murder conviction overturned (PHOTOS)
Amanda Knox bursts into tears when she is acquitted of the murder of Meredith Kercher murder on October 3, 2011 at Perugia’s court. Knox was acquitted of murder and sexual assault by an Italian appeal court on Monday after four years in custody over the killing of her British housemate Meredith Kercher.
ROME, Italy — An appeals court in Italy has overturned the murder conviction of Amanda Knox.
Knox, 24, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 27, were convicted in December 2009 of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy in 2007. Knox was then sentenced to 26 years in prison. At the time of the murder, Kercher and Knox were roommates.
Sollecito's conviction was also overturned, CNN reports. The jury upheld Knox's separate conviction on defamation charges.
One of Knox's lawyers, Carlo Dallas Vedova, told CNN that Knox will be leaving Italy "as soon as possible."
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?