Italians shower Amanda Knox with gifts
PERUGIA, Italy - Seattle college student Amanda Knox was given a large bag of Christmas presents by shopkeepers in a town near her prison - but she won't be allowed to have many of the gifts.
The U.K. Press Association reported Sunday that the gifts had been given to Amanda's mother, Edda Mellas, by merchants in the nearby historic town of Assisi.
But Mellas will not be permitted to give Knox many of the gifts due to prison regulations, she said.
"There's a woman in Assisi who said she wanted to collect something for Amanda so she went around the merchants in the town, and I just received a huge bag of gifts for her for Christmas," Mellas said. "It's really quite amazing. Unfortunately most of the gifts I can't give to Amanda but I'll save them for her."
Among the gifts were chocolates, a potted Christmas tree and Italian literature, including books about St. Francis of Assisi, the U.K. Press Association reported.
"She's not allowed candy in jail so I can't take the chocolates in, and they won't allow the tree either," Mellas said. "I can take the books in, though."
This will be Knox's third Christmas behind bars - and her family hopes it will be her last.
After a trial that lasted nearly a year, Knox was convicted this month of brutally murdering her roommate, Leeds University student Meredith Kercher, after what prosecutors said started as a sex game.
Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison, but her family has said they plan to appeal the conviction and sentence.
The U.K. Press Association reported Sunday that the gifts had been given to Amanda's mother, Edda Mellas, by merchants in the nearby historic town of Assisi.
But Mellas will not be permitted to give Knox many of the gifts due to prison regulations, she said.
"There's a woman in Assisi who said she wanted to collect something for Amanda so she went around the merchants in the town, and I just received a huge bag of gifts for her for Christmas," Mellas said. "It's really quite amazing. Unfortunately most of the gifts I can't give to Amanda but I'll save them for her."
Among the gifts were chocolates, a potted Christmas tree and Italian literature, including books about St. Francis of Assisi, the U.K. Press Association reported.
"She's not allowed candy in jail so I can't take the chocolates in, and they won't allow the tree either," Mellas said. "I can take the books in, though."
This will be Knox's third Christmas behind bars - and her family hopes it will be her last.
After a trial that lasted nearly a year, Knox was convicted this month of brutally murdering her roommate, Leeds University student Meredith Kercher, after what prosecutors said started as a sex game.
Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison, but her family has said they plan to appeal the conviction and sentence.