“Victim, Vixen, Villain” by: Nina Burleigh (Blog 9)

          In her article “Victim, Vixen, Villain” written in the October 17^th, 2011 issue of Time Magazine, Nina Burleigh talks about the controversy over Amanda Knox’s conviction. While studying abroad in Italy, Amanda Knox was accused of assaulting and killing her college roommate, Meredith Kercher, with the help of Rudy Guede.  In 2009, Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison. In 2011, her sentence was overturned because it was regarded as a “miscarriage of justice”. Knox was released from prison with a lot of poparazi greeting her outside the prison gates. This entire event sparked a large controversy into the media. Many Europeans believe that she is guilty and should be in jail. Her mannerisms in court were seen as obscure; she was aloof at times and even said, “I am trying to get on with my life”. However, a majority of people outside of Europe saw this case as very corrupt due to the lack of evidence proving that she helped with the murder. It took 2 years for the U.S. to work to exonerate Knox from the Italian criminal justice system. Knox has safely returned to her home in Seattle, Washington.

          This event makes me afraid of studying abroad in a foreign country. I believe that Knox had almost nothing to do with the murder. I have done some research on this matter, and found little to no evidence hinting that Knox helped or committed the murder. Basically, it looks like the Italian justice system sent an innocent U.S. citizen to prison in Italy. She had to stay in prison for two years. Two years is an extremely long time if you are doing absolutely nothing in prison, except activities to keep you sane like exercising. I cannot imagine what that experience would be like; the feeling of living in prison while knowing that you’re innocent must be excruciating. I am glad she is back to her home in our country. I doubt that she will be able to leave this country for a while due to the scarring that this event has done on her.