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Amanda Knox, by the book

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Amanda Knox is back in the news -- because she’s back in an Italian courtroom. The American student was found guilty in 2009 of the brutal murder of housemate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. Knox, who maintains her innocence in the killing, is appealing her 26-year sentence.

In 2010, the Daily Beast published a book about the case, ‘Angel Face: The True Story of Student Killer Amanda Knox,’ by Rome-based correspondent Barbie Latza Nadeau. Announcing the book, Daily Beast editor Tina Brown wrote, ‘Nadeau paints the first full portrait of a quirky young woman who is neither the ‘she-devil’ presented to an Italian jury nor the blameless ingénue her parents believe her to be.’ The site posted an exclusive excerpt about the time between the murder and the arrest of Knox and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.

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In addition to trying to get at Knox’s character, the book chronicles Knox’s trial step by step.

Amanda’s lawyers left the defense of her character largely to her family, who made their case to the American news networks -- which, of course, the jury could not see. The jurors saw only Amanda’s daily demeanor, which was ill-advised. Amanda herself was probably too honest, confessing in her diaries, which were admissable in court, that she loved sex and enjoyed drugs. During the hearings, she giggled at certain questions. She made a mockery of the judge’s court. Smiling to the cameras, blushing, and passing chocolates to Raffaele [Sollecito] did little to help her.

On Monday, Knox said of the murder, ‘I don’t know what happened that night.’ CNN reports that it was the first time the three people who were convicted of the crime -- Knox, Sollecito and Rudy Guede -- had appeared in court together since a preliminary hearing three years ago.

Maybe the new court proceeding will lead to another fast-track book.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

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