Amanda Knox Case

Lumumba vs. Knox

Defamation Lawsuit

Amanda Knox is an American college student who was living in Perugia, Italy as an exchange student with her British roommate Meredith Kercher. On November 2nd, 2007 Meredith was found dead in Perugia house that her Knox shared. Following the murder on November 5th Amanda and her boyfriend at the time Raffaele Sollecito were held for questioning at the police station where Knox admits to being in the house when her roommate was killed and confessed that Patrick Lumumba, the bar owner where Knox worked, was the person who slashed Meredith's throat. Mr. Lumumba was then detained as well on the assumption he was Meredith's killer. Lumumba was released after two weeks in prison when his alibi is corroborated (Staff).

Later in the morning of November 6th, 2007, Amanda hand wrote a letter explaining the interrogation (Case Summary).

Amanda wrote: "In regards to this "confession" that I made last night, I want to make it clear that I'm very doubtful of the verity of my statements because they were made under the pressures of stress, shock and extreme exhaustion."

Patrick Lumumba later went on to sue the police for $670,000 in damage as well as false imprisonment (Chappell). He walk out of the courtroom only being awarded $10,500 from the police and later went on to sue Amanda Knox for defamation. Lumumba was later awarded $29,218 from Knox for accusing him of Meredith Kercher's murder (Chappell).

I believe that had the police interrogation rules been properly followed and enforced by a higher authority figure that that Patrick Lumumba would have never gained the opportunity to sue Knox for defamation and the police for false imprisonment. In Italy if convicted of defamation the defendant is order to three years in prison. Since Knox had already served four years waiting on the murder trial of her roommate which she was acquitted of she was only forced to pay the $29,218 to Lumumba (Chappell). The police department of Perugia has also been noted for their brutality in the past against civilians.