Continuation Part 18: Amanda Knox/Raffaele Sollecito

[Grinder]

Once again, you seem to be answering your own question, using me as a foil. You seem to think that Raffaele is now saying that suspicion about Amanda was deserved. Me, I don't read it that way..... but it would be easier if you'd take me out of it and express a point of view regardless.

How could anyone "take you out of it"?

You clearly have better access to PI information and have actually had direct conversation with principals and their high level supporters, even TCN authors.

When Raf writes Basically Amanda made ​​enough stupid mistakes it makes me wonder what those might be in his opinion. I thought you might be a FB friend with him or others that could shed a little light. Do you think he is referring to the ******** he told because he didn't recognize the inconsistencies in her accounts?

Personally, I think it was he that made stupid mistakes.

Edited by Agatha: 

Edited to remove breach of rule 10. Do not disguise swear words by the use of additional or substitute characters. Type the word out in full and correctly spelled, and allow the autocensor to take care of it.

 

[Bill Williams]

How could anyone "take you out of it"?

You clearly have better access to PI information and have actually had direct conversation with principals and their high level supporters, even TCN authors.

When Raf writes Basically Amanda made ​​enough stupid mistakes it makes me wonder what those might be in his opinion. I thought you might be a FB friend with him or others that could shed a little light. Do you think he is referring to the ******** he told because he didn't recognize the inconsistencies in her accounts?

Personally, I think it was he that made stupid mistakes.

Edited by Agatha: 

Edited breach of rule 10 in quote.

So does he. It's in the book. Otherwise you would do well to listen to A-L.

 

[Bill Williams]

Grinder - I've just cycled back to where this started - with the Vanity Fair article. In it Raffaele responds to questions about any regret he might have about meeting Amanda Knox, or about the knife or the bra-clasp as evidence.

As to the first question - Raffaele has always been clear. From his book, to his Katie Couric interview to Vanity Fair, he's always said no. Go back to Couric where he tells her that that is always a diversionary question, revealing the questioner's own bias that this whole thing is really about Knox, and not a crazy-predatory prosecution.

It's all there. I'm not suggesting that you take me out of it for any other reason than that it will help you with primary sources like Honor Bound or Vanity Fair, rather than this strange fascination.

 

[acbytesla]

They better start getting used to it. Amanda Knox is now, by and large, viewed as a victim of a wrongful conviction. That is pretty clear by the media coverage, both in the US and in Europe. There are still a few crackpots out there clinging to a hope something will change that, but it's really not going to happen at this point. Even in Italy the reports are taking the "what the heck happened here?" slant.

I think it is the best thing for her. I think she wanted to put this all behind her and live a less renowned life. Or at least one not known for being accused of killing her roommate. But that choice was made for her. Her name will always ring a bell with people.. Any attempt to run from it will allow others to wonder about her, even somewhat to define her. I think she has a unique opportunity to do something with that notoriety that will not only benefit others but herself.

I've compared her before to Hester Prynne from The Scarlett Letter. She may not have chosen this path but making the best of this journey seems like the wise choice.

 

[Bill Williams]

I think it is the best thing for her. I think she wanted to put this all behind her and live a less renowned life. Or at least one not known for being accused of killing her roommate. But that choice was made for her. Her name will always ring a bell with people.. Any attempt to run from it will allow others to wonder about her, even somewhat to define her. I think she has a unique opportunity to do something with that notoriety that will not only benefit others but herself.

I've compared her before to Hester Prynne from The Scarlett Letter. She may not have chosen this path but making the best of this journey seems like the wise choice.

Life is what happens when you're making other plans - John Lennon.

 

[Agatha]

Let's all review and respect Rule 8 of the Membership Agreement: Who people are in real life, and what they may or may not do outside this forum, if it isn't public information and relevant to the thread (both!), then it doesn't belong here. Not even idle speculation.

Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Agatha

 

[anglolawyer]

Thanks for book recommendations up-thread. Here's my review of Waiting To Be Heard:

Kafka rools!

welcome to our world

 

[Bob001]

....I've compared her before to Hester Prynne from The Scarlett Letter. She may not have chosen this path but making the best of this journey seems like the wise choice.

Just as a thought experiment: Could she disappear if she wanted to? Not that she should, but if she changed her name and left the country, would she be able to live a non-celebrity life? Or will she always be "Amanda Knox?" Conversely, now that she has been fully and finally acquitted, if she updated her book and went on every talk show to tell and re-tell her story (after getting some desperately needed media coaching) would people get so sick of hearing about her that they'd leave her alone if she decided to become an English teacher, a real estate lawyer or something else that wouldn't keep her in the public eye?

 

[davefoc]

I bought the Amanda Knox book this week at a library sale for $3. Not much but Knox might take solace in the fact that hers was the most expensive book in the sale by a wide margin.

I don't know that I'm going to read it. My wife has already read it on Kindle. I did read a bit of it at the start. It seems particularly well written and she gives just enough detail of her little adventures that the book was informative without bogging the reader down in unnecessary detail.

The thing that struck me right away was the map she had at the front with the principal locations involved in the case identified. Although I'm sure that's floating around on the web someplace I hadn't seen it. I did not realize that the location that the phones were tossed was very close to Guede's house. That seems to be a strong suggestion that it was Guede that threw them there.

 

[anglolawyer]

I bought the Amanda Knox book this week at a library sale for $3. Not much but Knox might take solace in the fact that hers was the most expensive book in the sale by a wide margin.

I don't know that I'm going to read it. My wife has already read it on Kindle. I did read a bit of it at the start. It seems particularly well written and she gives just enough detail of her little adventures that the book was informative without bogging the reader down in unnecessary detail.

The thing that struck me right away was the map she had at the front with the principal locations involved in the case identified. Although I'm sure that's floating around on the web someplace I hadn't seen it. I did not realize that the location that the phones were tossed was very close to Guede's house. That seems to be a strong suggestion that it was Guede that threw them there.

Yes, I think there is a gate in the city wall there or some such and that this was an alternative and less populated route home for him.

I enjoyed her book a lot. The second half, which is more about her feelings in prison and upon her aquittal, is superb IMO and that's not the sort of thing that I expected to get out of it. I strongly recommend it (to you too JJ).

 

[JihadJane]

Yes, I think there is a gate in the city wall there or some such and that this was an alternative and less populated route home for him.

I enjoyed her book a lot. The second half, which is more about her feelings in prison and upon her aquittal, is superb IMO and that's not the sort of thing that I expected to get out of it. I strongly recommend it (to you too JJ).

Yes, it was an emotional, gut-wrenching read that had me in tears several times; a tale of an abusive, predatory judiciary and media, and an Italy still struggling to free itself from the blight of fascism and Catholicism. Knox's relationship with the prison chaplain (?) was very touching.

I'm looking forward to reading The Fatal Gift of Beauty which, I understand, explores the influence of gender politics on the case.

 

[anglolawyer]

Yes, it was an emotional, gut-wrenching read that had me in tears several times; a tale of an abusive, predatory judiciary and media, and an Italy still struggling to free itself from the blight of fascism and Catholicism. Knox's relationship with the prison chaplain (?) was very touching.

I'm looking forward to reading The Fatal Gift of Beauty which, I understand, explores the influence of gender politics on the case.

Glad you read it. I, who cry just about never, got quite choked up reading her book. She successfully brought the terrible experience home to the reader. Burleigh's book is also good, especially when dealing with Guede. It did not go down well with Knox's family, though. I would have to re-read it to remember why not as I was more focused on the case-related stuff than (what I regarded as) the side-issues.

 

[Ken Dine]

Just as a thought experiment: Could she disappear if she wanted to? Not that she should, but if she changed her name and left the country, would she be able to live a non-celebrity life? Or will she always be "Amanda Knox?" Conversely, now that she has been fully and finally acquitted, if she updated her book and went on every talk show to tell and re-tell her story (after getting some desperately needed media coaching) would people get so sick of hearing about her that they'd leave her alone if she decided to become an English teacher, a real estate lawyer or something else that wouldn't keep her in the public eye?

As I recall, leaving this country for a foreign experience is what caused all her problems to begin with.

If she does get wanderlust again, then there's plenty to see right here in America. She also speaks Japanese and German and those two countries seem safe enough for an American today.

Amanda's dream was to become a writer, and having a well known name shouldn't be a negative for her in that profession.

 

[sept79]

Yes, it was an emotional, gut-wrenching read that had me in tears several times; a tale of an abusive, predatory judiciary and media, and an Italy still struggling to free itself from the blight of fascism and Catholicism. Knox's relationship with the prison chaplain (?) was very touching.
I'm looking forward to reading The Fatal Gift of Beauty which, I understand, explores the influence of gender politics on the case.

How can this be when the prison chaplain is a Catholic Priest ??

 

[JihadJane]

How can this be when the prison chaplain is a Catholic Priest ??

He's a compassionate human being.

 

[Bill Williams]

Yes, it was an emotional, gut-wrenching read that had me in tears several times; a tale of an abusive, predatory judiciary and media, and an Italy still struggling to free itself from the blight of fascism and Catholicism. Knox's relationship with the prison chaplain (?) was very touching.
I'm looking forward to reading The Fatal Gift of Beauty which, I understand, explores the influence of gender politics on the case.

How can this be when the prison chaplain is a Catholic Priest ??

Many, if not most people manage to transcend the limits of the institutions/situations they find themselves in. From all indications, Father Saulo Scarabattoli is one such man.

Indeed, "the blight of Catholicism" perhaps is a caricature which is too wide a swath to provide a meaningful critique. Most surely the brand of Catholicism Giuliano Miginini adheres to could properly be said to belong to the middle ages.

And also there is the cultural differences with the USA and other countries. Italy has embedded even within its courts a nominal Catholicism. In the US it is only one political party, and only one faction within it which openly tries to enfranchise one religious view within the whole of the body politic.

Everyone's mileage varies.

 

[Grinder]

Burleigh's book is also good, especially when dealing with Guede. It did not go down well with Knox's family, though. I would have to re-read it to remember why not as I was more focused on the case-related stuff than (what I regarded as) the side-issues.

Right. Good if you don't mind undocumented one-off "facts". Knox fans didn't like it because she painted less than an attractive picture of Amanda. IIRC over sexed and over drugged but you can dig into that.

 

[anglolawyer]

Right. Good if you don't mind undocumented one-off "facts". Knox fans didn't like it because she painted less than an attractive picture of Amanda. IIRC over sexed and over drugged but you can dig into that.

No indeed. It 'goes without saying' that the fewer tedious or superfluous documents the better I like it! None of the true crime books is documented in the sense I take you to mean. I assume Burleigh put some effort into making sure there was a basis for her writing.

 

[sept79]

Right. Good if you don't mind undocumented one-off "facts". Knox fans didn't like it because she painted less than an attractive picture of Amanda. IIRC over sexed and over drugged but you can dig into that.

I don't believe that is accurate, Grinder. 'Knox fans' didn't like the book because 'she painted less than an attractive picture' of the family, not AK.

 

[Grinder]

I don't believe that is accurate, Grinder. 'Knox fans' didn't like the book because 'she painted less than an attractive picture' of the family, not AK.

Okay - As I said it was only a recollection. A quick check tells me Nina wasn't kind to Amanda's Perugia life style.