An Italian Court Has Once Again Found Amanda Knox Guilty of Slander — What Next?

Since her exoneration in March 2015, Amanda Knox has done incredible work in the world of criminal justice reform. Some people still might think of her as the Italian exchange student who was wrongly accused of murdering her roommate while studying abroad, but Knox has done her best to ensure others don't meet a similar fate. Through her writings, advocacy work, and podcast, Knox is chipping away at the problems with our criminal justice system.

Righting the wrongs includes fully clearing her own name as well. In June 2024 Knox was back in an Italian court in order to have a slander conviction overturned. It was the last hurdle in a tragic story that has been plaguing Knox for more than 15 years. Here's what we know.

It's probably safe to assume that most people would want to completely forget any time spent in prison. And while the desire may be there, the body and mind rarely if ever put things away. Something like that carves a place in your psyche that is difficult to manage. Knox took what was undoubtedly a traumatic event and vowed to keep fighting even though the temptation to just put it all behind one's self has to be great.

In 2007, while being interrogated by Italian police for 53 hours after her arrest, Knox accused her then-boss of being involved with the murder of Meredith Kercher. It was an act of desperation rather than maliciousness; she had been trapped there for over two days with little understanding of the Italian language, and no interpreter in sight. Confused by what had happened and by what was being asked of her, Knox signed a statement typed up by police that said Patrick Lumumba killed Kercher.

The next day she hand-wrote a four page letter recanting the accusation, but it was too late; the damage was done. According to CBS News, Knox attributed the false allegation to her exhaustion and confusion during questioning by police. She said she'd been threatened with 30 years of prison time and had been "hit in the head" by authorities when she didn't recall a fact correctly. "It was under this pressure and after many hours of confusion that my mind came up with these answers," explained Knox in the letter.

Lubumba was arrested anyway and spent two weeks in prison. He was finally let out when a friend came forward and offered an alibi. Unfortunately he would later lose his business and be forced to move out of Italy. His lawyer, Carlo Pacelli, told The Guardian that Knox was ordered to pay him compensation for what he lost but he "never received a cent," nor was he informed of the retrial.

On June 3, 2024, Knox tweeted about her anxiety-inducing trip to Italy. "On June 5th, I will walk into the very same courtroom where I was reconvicted of a crime I didn't commit, this time to defend myself yet again. I hope to clear my name once and for all of the false charges against me. Wish me luck. Crepi il lupo!" Unfortunately it did not go as she hoped it would.

CNN reported that Knox's slander conviction was upheld after she tearfully told the court that while being questioned about Lubumba, she should have tried harder to "retract the accusation and that she was a young person in an existential crisis when she accused him." Evidently, the two judges, six jury members, and two alternates decided that simply wasn't good enough.

After the verdict was read, Knox and her husband were ushered out of the courtroom. She had no interest in speaking to the press, and who could blame her? Dalla Vedova, Knox's attorney, informed the journalists that she was "too upset" to address them. As far as what's next, the judges have 60 days to release their opinions after which, Knox's attorneys have another 60 days to file an appeal.