Amanda Knox's ex boyfriend brings new book to Seattle
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SEATTLE -- The story of Amanda Knox's murder arrest played out in courtrooms, tabloids and made-for-television movies, and now Knox's co-defendant in that case is telling his side of the story in a new book.
Raffaele Sollecito said it's painful to relive what happened to him in Perugia, Italy, but he wants to set the record straight.
"There's a long distance between a fancy story and the real happenings," he said.
Sollecito spent four years defending himself against charges he murdered Meredith Kercher. Kercher, who shared an apartment with Knox, was found stabbed to death in November 2007.
Sollecito and Knox had only been dating for a short time, but suspicion fell on the couple almost immediately. The tabloids and detectives questioned their behavior, including the kisses they shared just steps from the murder scene.
"(It was) just an affectionate moment during a very long lasting waiting for the next interrogation," Sollecito said.
In his new book, Sollecito writes about giving his keys to detectives so they could search his house because he felt he had nothing to hide. He said the detectives pulled a knife out of the first drawer they opened.
"And after two weeks that was the murder weapon," Sollecito said.
Sollecito said he was pressured to turn on Knox in exchange for his own freedom, but it was not something he could do.
"I can not walk on the street and be like a free man just realizing that I'm the reason for an innocent 20-year-old girl to spend the rest of her life in prison," he said. "I cannot bear that, and that was my choice."
Last fall, an Italian appeals court set Sollecito and Knox free after forensics experts ripped apart the evidence that was used to convict them.
"After our acquittal, every day is a celebration for us," Sollecito said.
Sollecito and Knox still talk and he said he had dinner with her family last weekend. He said he's even considering a move to Seattle.
For now he's focusing on the life that began the moment he became a free man.
"I started to approach life like a child who discovers a new world and just a new boy," he said. "It's something like they killed me and then the judge came to me, raised me up and said, 'This is your new life, do the best you can.'"
Sollecito is speaking at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus Tuesday at 7 p.m. He said Knox will not be there, but she has read the book and was impressed.
Raffaele Sollecito said it's painful to relive what happened to him in Perugia, Italy, but he wants to set the record straight.
"There's a long distance between a fancy story and the real happenings," he said.
Sollecito spent four years defending himself against charges he murdered Meredith Kercher. Kercher, who shared an apartment with Knox, was found stabbed to death in November 2007.
Sollecito and Knox had only been dating for a short time, but suspicion fell on the couple almost immediately. The tabloids and detectives questioned their behavior, including the kisses they shared just steps from the murder scene.
"(It was) just an affectionate moment during a very long lasting waiting for the next interrogation," Sollecito said.
In his new book, Sollecito writes about giving his keys to detectives so they could search his house because he felt he had nothing to hide. He said the detectives pulled a knife out of the first drawer they opened.
"And after two weeks that was the murder weapon," Sollecito said.
Sollecito said he was pressured to turn on Knox in exchange for his own freedom, but it was not something he could do.
"I can not walk on the street and be like a free man just realizing that I'm the reason for an innocent 20-year-old girl to spend the rest of her life in prison," he said. "I cannot bear that, and that was my choice."
Last fall, an Italian appeals court set Sollecito and Knox free after forensics experts ripped apart the evidence that was used to convict them.
"After our acquittal, every day is a celebration for us," Sollecito said.
Sollecito and Knox still talk and he said he had dinner with her family last weekend. He said he's even considering a move to Seattle.
For now he's focusing on the life that began the moment he became a free man.
"I started to approach life like a child who discovers a new world and just a new boy," he said. "It's something like they killed me and then the judge came to me, raised me up and said, 'This is your new life, do the best you can.'"
Sollecito is speaking at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus Tuesday at 7 p.m. He said Knox will not be there, but she has read the book and was impressed.
JeffJeffski1 has asked us to look at the most biased (against Amanda and Raffaele) site on the internet, TJMK, as some kind of lame attempt to discredit Raffaele. For a more accurate view of this case, look at the Hellmann-Zanetti report by the trial judges that exonerated Amanda and Raffaele in the appeal:Â http://hellmannreport.wordpress.com/contents/.
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From Part 19 (The Conclusion) "But the only circumstantial evidence which remains solid ...does not, even taken together, allow us to arrive at the conclusion that the culpability of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito of the crime of murder (and of the other crimes instrumental thereto) has been proven in any way."
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 @Bob SmithÂ
TJMK is more than just biased against RS and AK. It's more like a hate site. It is so full of misinformation, lies, and vitriol that I have to wonder about its owner, Peter Quennell, being mentally stable. Some of the things he writes are just pure venom unsupported with anything but his innuendo and accusations. It is not a site one goes to in order to find information or discuss the case with others. Anyone who disagrees is insulted and shouted down. It is a site one goes to in order to get bias confirmation from the like-minded. Perugia Murder File is another such site filled with so much hatred.
Please visit http://truejustice.org/ee/index.php. to view the more difficult awkward questions that should of been put to R Sollecito.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2012/09/25/amada-knoxs-former-boyfriend-in-seattle-i-lost-everything/#7534101-6 Top turn out I see, 57 people. What a embarrassment.
@JeffJeffski1 Just how do you know there were only 57 people total? We also don't know how much publicity there was about the event so public awareness of it may have been very limited.Â
 @JeffJeffski1 The lack of bodies and the sales of the book are a fair indication that the Kercher case is no longer in the public interest.  For most people itâs over, finished and long since buried.  By the the way Jeffski why didnât Raffaele cut a deal with the cops when he had the chance?
@TomGraham18 @JeffJeffski1. Pretty easy question to answer Tom, if he had, she would of then told the truth of his involvement in the crime. Pretty lame excuse by the way for a lack of interest in the "suspected murderer's" book/tour. Serious question; Do you not think the poor showing is due to serious doubts of these two's innocents, their conflicting alibis. His many contradictions an outright lies in the book ?
@JeffJeffski1 I've read the book and I can find no "contradictions"Â or "outright lies."
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Also, your theory that "she would of then told the truth of his involvement in the crime" is not based on anything but your assumption that she is guilty. An assumption that is based on no evidence, as the court of appeals found.
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So, please explain how Knox left behind no physical evidence at all when Rudy Guede left copious amounts of physical evidence behind in the murder room.
 @JeffJeffski1  @TomGraham18 The case was contrived against Amanda first and foremost.  With Rudy and Raffaele testifying against her she would hypothetically have stood no chance.
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 And no, I donât agree with your evaluation of public perception of the book.  If the public perception was against Raffaele we would have known about it before he even entered the US.  There would have been a public outcry over his interviews.  Kane Hall Book Promotion would have had demonstrators outside actively protesting against this obvious assassin.  Unless you can tell me differently there was nothing of the sort. So no, the plain fact is that the case is slowly fading away, except on TJMK where an unhealthy collective obsession with Meredith is denying everyone (the Kerchers most of all) an natural closure on a tragedy that need never have happened.
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I canât comment on the book too much since Iâm still reading it. Â I take it youâll be listing these contradictions and outright lies in your Amazon review?
To read the extremely strong Galati Appeal against the unlawful conduct of the Hellmann Court which released Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito from prison on a basis of inconsistent and illogical reasoning as well as ignoring points of law, follow this link:
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http://truejustice.org/ee/documents/perugia/2012GalatiCostagliolaAppealUSVersion.pdf
@Olive You are parroting TJMK which insists that the appeal is "extremely strong." What else would TJMK say? That they haven't got a case? No. Since you are not an expert in Italian legal procedure or interpretation, which is what the C of C will rule on,  you don't know if it's strong or not. That will only be answered once the C of C makes it decision.
'The time is not right for them to appear in public together' because there is a very strong Prosecution Appeal against the very dubious Hellmann court and its verdict next March. Â If you read the translation of the appeal document you will see just how strong the evidence is against both Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito.
 @Olive There are many references on TJMK for âtoughâ this, âtoughâ that, âstrongâ or âvery strongâ this, that or the other.  âAnd now we come toâ (a very scary situation that will terrify you), are  examples of brinkmanship and bluff that has been going on over there for years. This appeal is an imbroglio of sophistry, legal jargon and references to Italian law that is virtually impenetrable to anyone except Gallati himself.  It is deliberately written this way to mask the mediocrity of the prosecution argument.  You could perhaps explain to us lesser mortals just what bearing a public appearance together would have any influence on the Gallati appeal or vice-versa?
@TomGraham18 @OliveÂ
 Exactly, TomGraham. I see this time and again from colpevisti who repeat the same TJMK rhetoric almost verbatim. It shows a lack of real understanding and simple parroting.
Raffaele and his family should be happy with the thought that the number of people who think that they are guilty has diminished dramatically. There are now just a few horrid people spreading lies. When Raf and Amanda are 100% free on 26th March, PMF, TJMK etc will be the lunatic conspiracy theorists with no life that we all know them too be :O) It has been such a pleasure to meet so many good people that have supported these two innocent people. I was a guilter the first few months of this case but thankfully decency and common sense overcame me :)
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https://www.facebook.com/FreeMeredithKercher
https://www.facebook.com/MeredithKercherBook
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For anyone interested in paying respect to Meredith the above pages is a great place. Bully free, respectful and most importantly it really does respect the kerchers. RIP Meredith!!!!
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@Charlotte Taylor Brown Â
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 I also believed they were guilty until I started really investigating the case. Once I realized just how the prosecution/police used and manipulated an all-too willing tabloid press to demonize RS and AK and give out misinformation, and understood the real facts, I came to believe that they are innocent of this horrible crime. Rudy Guede, and he alone, murdered Meredith in a simple burglary gone wrong.
@Charlotte Taylor Brown. Sick, disgusting, highly offensive to the Kercher family. If of you had a ounce of decency, you would not post on that horrid FB page. Do not buy this book that is full of contradictions and lies. Please visit these two sites, they are not hate sites they are dedicated to the truth and for justice to Meredith Kercher. http://truejustice.org/ee/index.php http://www.perugiamurderfile.org/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=568
 @Charlotte Taylor Brown How many alias' do you have Karen Parker Pruett?
Gumbel p.39 wrote: [At the Questura], "Amanda curled up on me like a koala bear, grabbing hold of my neck with both arms and resting her body on my lap. We nuzzled, and at one point she stuck out her tongue at me as a joke. Police officers passed by regularly and glared at us. "State composti!" one shouted. Behave yourselves. When they told us to sit separately, I responded, "But it's cold." "This is a Questura," they shot back. ... Days earlier, under very different circumstances, this quirky unrestrained behavior had drawn me to her. But here it was embarassing, and I can understand why Meredith's friends were put off. ... Amanda did sit on her own periodically to write in her journal; she said she felt like writing a song about everything that was going on and--as the Italian papers later reported with relish--"could kill for a pizza." This was Amanda free-associating, as Amanda the West Coast dreamer was in the habit of doing. And everything is perfect in fantasy land.
 @JeffJeffski1Â
In his interview, RS explains that he was embarrassed and uncomfortable because the police were watching, which is understandable. But, how does that indicate she is a murderer?
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I have his book and he absolutely and whole-heartedly affirms and confirms both their innocence.
And you wonder why the police became suspicious ?? Perfectly decent respectfully behaviour after your room mate has been found murdered.
A fantastic interview that confirms that Raffaele is a man of integrity. He refused to do a deal with corrupt prosecutors that would relieve them of the burden of guilt of framing Amanda. His refusal to budge criminalized them to the point where their actions were the mark of beasts barely recognisable as human. Raffaele's story is not just about a dreadful crime it is about the blackness of Men (and womens) souls when their reputations and social standing are under threat. Hopefully after the March 2013 appeal is over this case will be further investigated and the wretches who perpetrated these diabolical distortions of the facts will face justice. The absolute truth is long overdue in this case and only that can allow Meredith to Rest in Peace once and for all in all our minds.Â
@TomGraham18. A book full of contradictions. His father & his own lawyer back in Italy have distanced themselves from some of the lurid lies in the book. "Man of integrity". He is a proven lying pot smoking, knife carrying weirdo who done everything possible as to not help police with their inquiries. He even states this in his book. I got the call at about ten o'clock that night. I was at my friend Riccardo's house for dinner, along with Riccardo's sister and Amanda. The police said they wanted to talk to me. Not Amanda, just me. "i'm having dinner and I can't come right now," I said. That annoyed whoever was on the other end of the line. I wasn't taking the request seriously enough. "You need to come in right away,"Â he said. I told him I would finish eating first. I didn't care how urgent it was; I couldn't be at their beck and call twenty-four hours a day. This is the man you all hail as a hero. His girlfriends room mate is brutally murdered and all he is bothered about is finishing his dinner.ffs wake up.
 @JeffJeffski1 If I was perfectly innocent and given the runaround by the cops Iâd be fed-up about it as well.  I appreciate your attention to detail, but you seem to be attaching a lot of importance to the mundane.  If it makes you feel any better, yes their behaviour was frivolous and Raffaele admits this at the start of the book, so they are guilty of that, but regardless of Amandaâs and Raffaeleâs behaviour your argument canât put evidence where there is none.  I would ask you to seriously put yourself in the killers position and ask you what you would have done in the 4 or 5 days after Meredithâs murder?
Is no one in Seattle interested in whether Sollecito participated in this murder? Here is an 18 minute interview with Molly Shen in which she says she's going to ask about the circumstances leading up to his arrest, and then--nothing. She admitted she hadn't even read the book. Disgusting. RIP Meredith Kercher.
I liked him better with the Harry Potter glasses.
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Memo to Raepphelele:
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Ya just can't move willy-nilly to this State if you're a foreign citizen. There is a mountain of paperwork and fees and interviews and timelines and deadlines and medical tests and more fees and paperwork and standing in line talking to bureaucrats with a substandard command of colloquial English.Â
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No wait... just go to the DMV and get your Washington Driver's License and you're good to go. Stop by DSHS if ya need some cash.
Phhhhhrrrrt!
Might get a few copies sold in West Seattle..
Something's off here. It's not Friday. Knox posts always come out on Fridays...