The Trials of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito: Part 26

[Numbers]

I think one of the most ridiculous statements by Borsini is the "Amanda's lamp was in Meredith's room" bit. Just how is that evidence against Amanda? I could understand it if the girls had not lived together but, for heaven's sake, their rooms were right next to each other. Anyone, including Meredith herself or Guede, could have brought that lamp into her room.

But this was the special DNA-detecting lamp that allowed for the selective DNA clean-up! At least according to some posts I've seen about the beliefs of some PGP.

The alleged lamp evidence is no more ridiculous than the other alleged evidence against Knox and Sollecito, just more obviously ridiculous. What role would the lamp had played in the crime? The lamp may have been brought into the room by the police. Was it ever analyzed for fingerprints or DNA?

Why was real evidence - the apparent semen stain on the pillow - suppressed by the police and prosecution? Why was it not recorded and identified by its DNA?

Why was real evidence - the apparent human blood stains in the downstairs flat, including one by a light switch, and other drops by the toilet - falsely claimed to be "cat's blood" by the police and prosecution? The drops by the toilet look just like what would be expected if a person with a bleeding palm, with blood dripping from his fingers, paused for a moment or two in front of the toilet. Why did the police and prosecution pay no attention to the blood stain, found on a bed in the downstairs flat, that looked a little like the shape of a knife blade? The DNA quantification information that was released by the scientific police suggests that several of the downstairs blood stains had human DNA based on the simple fact that the DNA was replicated in the test. This could only happen if human (or possibly other primate) DNA was present; cat or other mammalian DNA would not replicate because the chemicals inducing the replication are species-specific.

 

[Stacyhs]

Could the human DNA have been wiped up at the same time as the alleged cat's blood was collected just as Amanda's was in Meredith's blood?

As for the lamp, I can find nothing stating it was ever tested. It is not listed in the evidence collection. In the Dec. 18 police video, the lamp is shown still in Meredith's room sitting on her desk next to the door. If the police had thought this was important, why was it not collected for at least 6 weeks, if ever? I think it's entirely possible the lamp was not found in the room, but that it was retrieved by the police on Nov.2 and used to get a better view of the room without going in. They plugged it in next to the door and lit the room from the doorway. No officer was ever asked if s/he had gotten the lamp from Knox's room or if s/he had seen anyone do so. Perhaps Battistelli, after getting everyone out of the house, used it and realized he shouldn't have so never said anything about it later. After all, he did lie about going into Meredith's room as Luca Altieri testified he saw him do. When Amanda was asked how it got there, she answered she didn't know. If she had used it to look for the earring back as the PGP so fondly speculate or any other reason, why didn't she just lie and say that Meredith had asked to borrow it since she was spending her nights at Raff's and didn't need it?

 

[Numbers]

Could the human DNA have been wiped up at the same time as the alleged cat's blood was collected just as Amanda's was in Meredith's blood?

As for the lamp, I can find nothing stating it was ever tested. It is not listed in the evidence collection. In the Dec. 18 police video, the lamp is shown still in Meredith's room sitting on her desk next to the door. If the police had thought this was important, why was it not collected for at least 6 weeks, if ever? I think it's entirely possible the lamp was not found in the room, but that it was retrieved by the police on Nov.2 and used to get a better view of the room without going in. They plugged it in next to the door and lit the room from the doorway. No officer was ever asked if s/he had gotten the lamp from Knox's room or if s/he had seen anyone do so. Perhaps Battistelli, after getting everyone out of the house, used it and realized he shouldn't have so never said anything about it later. After all, he did lie about going into Meredith's room as Luca Altieri testified he saw him do. When Amanda was asked how it got there, she answered she didn't know. If she had used it to look for the earring back as the PGP so fondly speculate or any other reason, why didn't she just lie and say that Meredith had asked to borrow it since she was spending her nights at Raff's and didn't need it?

Stacyhs, in terms of the lamp, you are simply not getting the enormous osmotic importance of that lamp to the case. The fact that it was not entered into evidence shows that the Masons Martians were interfering on behalf of Knox.

Back to the alleged cat's blood: According to the sworn testimony of VQA Giobbi, the cat jumped at the light switch (which was at about human shoulder level) and hit just above it with his/her bleeding ear. While this act of the cat was not witnessed by anyone, this is the statement of the police and we are not to doubt such statements, because according to the PGP argument, AIUI, the police would have no reason to lie and they are not ever corrupt.

In the real world, the human DNA could indeed have been on the surface under the alleged cat's blood. But why would there be no report of the profile test of this DNA, to show that it was not, for example, Guede's? Because if it were, would that not tend to destroy the fabricated case against Knox and Sollecito? Let's recall that Guede stated to the police that he had heard noises coming from the downstairs flat while he had his "date" with Kercher. What does that suggest? Was that alleged sound the result of the cat engaging in acrobatics, or was Guede's statement a cover story for his own entry to the downstairs flat?

Here's another example of the ridiculous in this case. The scientific police forensic technician, "Doctor" P. Stefanoni, testifies that she has never been informed of contamination occurring in her lab. However, in the DNA quantification data she rather grudgingly hands over to the defense, there are incidents of contamination clearly obvious in some negative and positive controls. However, no data at all is given to the defense for most of the controls that should have been run in her testing for this case. And she never handed over a copy of the computer-generated raw data for the DNA profiles. In fact, she wrote a letter to a judge stating that the request for such data was equivalent to an allegation that she had cheated in the testing. However, the international standard, based on ECHR case law, is that a copy of raw data of testing or intercepts for a criminal case must always be provided to the defense upon its request, to assure the reliability of the prosecution interpretation.

 

[Stacyhs]

I stand corrected on the lamp. I had no idea the Martians were also involved. I thought it was only the Masons, Illuminati, Mafia, US State Dept., and a Mega PR Machine. My apologies.

It is rather interesting regarding the blood downstairs. So many questions. I agree that Stefanoni's reluctance to hand over the raw data is suspicious. But we may not question the good doctor's (ahem) actions or she may follow Mignini's lead and sue us for defamation.

Speaking of defamation lawsuits, anyone seen Raff's and Gumbel's "apology" for "lying" about Mignini?

 

[Numbers]

I stand corrected on the lamp. I had no idea the Martians were also involved. I thought it was only the Masons, Illuminati, Mafia, US State Dept., and a Mega PR Machine. My apologies.

It is rather interesting regarding the blood downstairs. So many questions. I agree that Stefanoni's reluctance to hand over the raw data is suspicious. But we may not question the good doctor's (ahem) actions or she may follow Mignini's lead and sue us for defamation.

Speaking of defamation lawsuits, anyone seen Raff's and Gumbel's "apology" for "lying" about Mignini?

The Masons Martians placed an invisibility cloak around the relevant apology documents. However, in "due course" - that is, just after the Sun becomes a white dwarf star - the PGP will publish them.

IIUC, according to the PGP, Interpol will arrest anyone who "defames" the Italian authorities.

 

[Stacyhs]

The Masons Martians placed an invisibility cloak around the relevant apology documents. However, in "due course" - that is, just after the Sun becomes a white dwarf star - the PGP will publish them.

IIUC, according to the PGP, Interpol will arrest anyone who "defames" the Italian authorities.

Well, crap. There goes my trip to Lake Como and Switzerland next year. DARN!

 

[Bill Williams]

The Masons Martians placed an invisibility cloak around the relevant apology documents. However, in "due course" - that is, just after the Sun becomes a white dwarf star - the PGP will publish them.

IIUC, according to the PGP, Interpol will arrest anyone who "defames" the Italian authorities.

I don't know about you, but I believe it. Peter Quennell has 100s of lawyers working the case. He told us so.

Come to think of it, I'm changing sides.

 

[Bill Williams]

Speaking of defamation lawsuits, anyone seen Raff's and Gumbel's "apology" for "lying" about Mignini?

Now that you mention it, Pete Quennell booted this prediction based on "inside knowledge".

Based on Quennell's nearly flawless record of predicting legal doom and gloom for ANYONE remotely associated with the notion that AK and RS are innocent, I'm now flipping back to my former position on the matter.

It's been years of Quennell predicting the contrary. Regardless of the court throwing out Mignini's defamation claim over RS's book - Honor Bound - and regardless of Mignini himself abandoning his own parallel civil suit.......

....... Quennell cannot resist contrarily representing this as a win for Mignini; with promised phantom apologies, etc.

Is there anyone brave enough or with enough idle time (and a speedy internet connection) who would catalog the full list of Quennell's promises of the reversal of stuff? It's a huge list!

May as well add one more......

 

[Vixen]

Excellent rebuttal, Vix! Did you learn it in Debate 101?

Are you now claiming there is no statute of limitation in Italy?

There is no statute of limitation for murder.

For other cases SOL applies to 'being charged'. If Preston was charged within the SOL the fact he's evaded arrest for years doesn't get him off the hook.

He knows it. He contacted the Italian authorities to clarify his legal status. They refused to tell him.

 

[Vixen]

[qimg]http://25.media.tumblr.com/50b67d0d261a3a6e9ce40e6ddab404a1/tumblr_mxgjzqfFPo1qm3k33o1_500.gif[/qimg]

Pictured: Rudy Guede receiving his award from the Italian government for lying about his complicity in murder and sexual assault

Hey, Caesar is innocent! Leave Caesar out of this.

 

[Vixen]

Now that you mention it, Pete Quennell booted this prediction based on "inside knowledge".

Based on Quennell's nearly flawless record of predicting legal doom and gloom for ANYONE remotely associated with the notion that AK and RS are innocent, I'm now flipping back to my former position on the matter.

It's been years of Quennell predicting the contrary. Regardless of the court throwing out Mignini's defamation claim over RS's book - Honor Bound - and regardless of Mignini himself abandoning his own parallel civil suit.......

....... Quennell cannot resist contrarily representing this as a win for Mignini; with promised phantom apologies, etc.

Is there anyone brave enough or with enough idle time (and a speedy internet connection) who would catalog the full list of Quennell's promises of the reversal of stuff? It's a huge list!

May as well add one more......

I bet he even appears in your dreams.

 

[Bill Williams]

There is no statute of limitation for murder.

For other cases SOL applies to 'being charged'. If Preston was charged within the SOL the fact he's evaded arrest for years doesn't get him off the hook.

He knows it. He contacted the Italian authorities to clarify his legal status. They refused to tell him.

First of all you're making all this up.

Second of all, Italy is not so corrupt that they would not tell someone if they'd been charged with a crime. You're making all that up as well.

At least, though, this post was not a non sequitor like many of your others.

 

[Numbers]

First of all you're making all this up.

Second of all, Italy is not so corrupt that they would not tell someone if they'd been charged with a crime. You're making all that up as well.

At least, though, this post was not a non sequitor like many of your others.

If Preston or anyone were charged with a crime by Italy, and that person were in another country, the Italian authorities - that is, the Minister of Justice - would seek extradition in accordance with CPP Article 720.

The statute of limitation in Italy is different in legal structure from that in the US and some other countries.

Here's a short description of the statute of limitations in Italy:

"The Italian criminal system has a statute limiting the time for prosecution of all crimes, apart from felonies punishable by life imprisonment, to a period of time equalling the maximum penalty provided for by law, which cannot, though, be less than six years for delitti (felonies) and four years for contravvenzioni (misdemeanours).

It is not enough that the criminal suit {charge} be started before the statute of limitations run out: it is the definitive sentence (possibly involving three {or more} trials) that must be handed down before the term expires.

There is also another statute of limitations, limiting the time for enforcing a penalty, to a period of time provided for by law: twice the time to be served, or ten years in the case of a fine, when dealing with a felony; five years, when dealing with misdemeanours."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Code_of_Criminal_Procedure#Statute_of_limitations

So, questions would be: 1. was the person actually charged, 2. was there an attempt by Italy to extradite, 3. what is the period of time of the maximum penalty of the crime charged.

Since there is no information with credible citations provided with respect to any of these questions, it is clear that the posts relating to Preston are PGP fantasies. There is no evidence he was ever charged with any crime, and no citation claiming such a charge in the PGP posts.

 

[Bill Williams]

Since there is no information with credible citations provided with respect to any of these questions, it is clear that the posts relating to Preston are PGP fantasies. There is no evidence he was ever charged with any crime, and no citation claiming such a charge in the PGP posts.

Only in guilterland could someone not be charged with a crime but still be guilty as charged.

 

[Stacyhs]

There is no statute of limitation for murder.

For other cases SOL applies to 'being charged'. If Preston was charged within the SOL the fact he's evaded arrest for years doesn't get him off the hook.

He knows it. He contacted the Italian authorities to clarify his legal status. They refused to tell him.

True. And that would be relevant if Preston had ever been charged with murder. Which he wasn't. IMO, Mignini was simply furious about what Preston and Spezi were writing about the MofF case and he wanted to intimidate Preston into leaving the country. Spezi he threw in jail until he was forced to release him under a judge's order. If Preston had been Italian, he'd likely have done the same thing to him.

What is you source for claiming that the Italian police would not tell him his status?

 

[Stacyhs]

Did anyone ever notice that Vecchiottti's 2013 article on the problems with DNA analyses, highlighting the Kercher case, was peer reviewed by David Balding? The same Balding that PGP/TJMK love to reference?

http://www.amandaknoxcase.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/DNA-and-the-law-in-Italy.pdf

 

[Vixen]

True. And that would be relevant if Preston had ever been charged with murder. Which he wasn't. IMO, Mignini was simply furious about what Preston and Spezi were writing about the MofF case and he wanted to intimidate Preston into leaving the country. Spezi he threw in jail until he was forced to release him under a judge's order. If Preston had been Italian, he'd likely have done the same thing to him.

What is you source for claiming that the Italian police would not tell him his status?

Preston himself!


Might even have been in the Candace Dempsey article.

 

[Stacyhs]

To give everyone a reminder of what a vindictive nutcase Mignini is, read this. It explains what lengths Mignini will go to when someone pisses him off. Remember that there is no evidence that an American journalist and one of Italy's most respected journalists (now deceased) conspired to plant evidence. Their only crime was to publicly criticize Mignini and Guittari in the MofF case.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/14/italy.ukcrime

 

[Stacyhs]

Preston himself!


Might even have been in the Candace Dempsey article.

Do you think it is right for a person not to be told if there are even charges against him in a country? Serious charges? Smacks of nothing but intimidation to me.

 

[Stacyhs]

For those who think Mignini is an honorable and honest man:

Mr Preston is out of harm's way, but the judicial persecution of Mr Spezi by Messrs Mignini and Giuttari continues apace.
"They accuse me of being the mastermind or instigator of the murder of Narducci," Mr Spezi said wearily. "Now it's more than an investigation, I have actually been charged with the murder; also with forming a criminal association to cover up the crime (along with 23 other people in Perugia); with obstruction of justice, with perjury, and with criminal libel against Giuttari, Gabriella Carlizzi and others. I am indicted for writing articles that 'disturb public order", because I criticised the investigation in Perugia regarding the murder of Meredith Kercher, and I am also accused of 'vilifying' prosecutor Mignini, a criminal offence.
"I have the strong impression that I will never get out of this situation and I don't know what to do. Everything I do causes Mignini to accuse me of another crime."

Mr Preston commented: "It seems extraordinary that even after the Italian Supreme Court ruled that Mignini's detention of Spezi was illegal, Mignini is still persecuting him relentlessly, without any kind of check or control. Mignini himself is on trial for abuse of office – yet he continues in office as if nothing were happening. The Monster of Florence is not just a book about a horrific serial killer, and not just a book about two journalists who fall into their own story. It is a book about modern Italy itself.

"Mario and I are confident that the story we tell is the truth, at least as far as the truth can be ascertained in a strange and convoluted case such as this. But this has not stopped the Italian authorities from levelling vague charges of criminal libel against us, not because there are errors in the book, but for harassment purposes and to undermine our credibility. Our aim was to tell the truth, and we told the truth – at a far greater cost than we anticipated. As a result, I can probably never return to Italy and Mario spent three weeks in prison and may be persecuted to the end of his days. But we both stand by what we wrote."

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...hunt-for-the-monster-of-florence-1657052.html

The Monster of Florence, based on Preston's book, is being made into a movie. I suspect, with good reason, that Mignini and Guitarri will not come out looking very good. I'm taking bets on how many lawsuits the two will file.