How did Amanda Knox get out of jail? Here's what we know about The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox

In 2007, American student Amanda Knox was arrested in Perugia, Italy, for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. Despite little reliable evidence pointing towards her and procedural errors, Knox and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were found guilty in 2009, which led the world to scrutinize Italy's justice system.

Four years later, an appeals court reversed their convictions due to unreliable DNA evidence, lack of motive, and tainted forensic procedures. In March 2015, Italy's Supreme Court legally acquitted Knox and Sollecito and nullified the initial verdict because of some "stunning flaws" in the investigation, as per The Guardian.

Now, their real-life drama is brought to life in The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, an executive-produced limited series by Knox herself. The series is available to stream on Hulu, with the latest episode dropping on September 3, titled All You Need Is Love.

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The murder and initial investigation of Amanda Knox's crimes

Meredith Kercher was found dead in her apartment (Image via Unsplash)

21-year-old British exchange student Meredith Kercher was discovered murdered on November 2, 2007, in the Perugia flat she and Amanda Knox shared with two other women. As per People magazine, Kercher had died the previous day. She had been discovered with slash wounds to the throat. There was also evidence of a s*xual assault.

The police were called when Knox and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, made a report of an apparent break-in. Police discovered shattered glass but reported that valuables were not disturbed, which raised doubts about the constructed nature of the scene, as reported by The Guardian.

During the investigation, Amanda Knox repeatedly questioned and accused her boss, Patrick Lumumba, in a later-proven-to-be-coerced statement. Knox, Sollecito, and Lumumba were all arrested on November 6, but Lumumba was released on November 20 due to a lack of evidence, as per the outlet.

Attention then turned to Rudy Guede, whose bloody handprint was found at the scene. Guede fled to Germany but was extradited on December 6. His fast-track trial in 2008 led to a conviction for murder, sexual assault, and slander, with a 30-year sentence that was later reduced to 16 on appeal, as per the outlet.

Investigators employed DNA evidence, including a knife from Sollecito's home that had alleged traces of Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's DNA on the handle. However, critics indicated possible contamination and poor evidence control. The BBC reported that the investigation was generally criticized for its quick conclusions and media leaks.

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The first trial and conviction

Kercher's throat was slashed with a knife (Image via Unsplash)

In January 2009, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito's trial got underway in Perugia. The prosecution claimed that during a violent s*xual encounter gone wrong, Knox, Sollecito, and Guede killed Kercher.

In addition to testimony regarding Knox's contradictory words and actions, DNA evidence from the knife and a bra clasp was presented. As per The Guardian, the defense argued that the forensic evidence was unreliable because of contamination and poor crime-scene handling.

On December 4, 2009, both Sollecito and Amanda Knox were found guilty of murder following an 11-month trial. Knox was sentenced to 26 years, of which three years were for slander against Lumumba, while Sollecito got 25 years, according to the outlet.

Mixed DNA traces in the shared bathroom were used as supporting circumstantial evidence. Knox had already served two years in pretrial detention by the time of the verdict.

The case attracted intense international media coverage. Some Italian outlets depicted Knox negatively, branding her "Foxy Knoxy," while foreign press questioned the fairness of the process. Defense teams immediately filed appeals, emphasizing DNA flaws. Meanwhile, her slander conviction against Lumumba was upheld in 2024, though her time served satisfied the penalty, as per CNN.

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The appeal and initial release

Amanda Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison (Image via Unsplash)

In November 2010, the appeals process got underway. The court-appointed independent forensic specialists examined the DNA evidence found on the bra clasp and knife. According to their report, the samples were probably contaminated and too small. Additionally, they contended that Kercher's wounds were not consistent with the knife in question.

The BBC reported that the prosecution's case, which emphasized Knox and Sollecito's involvement, was undermined by these findings.

On October 3, 2011, the Perugia appeals court reversed the convictions, finding Knox and Sollecito not guilty of murder due to insufficient evidence. The court criticized the investigation's use of tainted forensic techniques and invoked reasonable doubt, as per People magazine.

Although Amanda Knox was still convicted of slander, she had already completed her three-year sentence. After serving almost four years in prison, Knox was released that same day and left for Seattle the next morning.

According to the BBC, Sollecito was also released. Reactions were mixed: protests erupted in Italy, while U.S. coverage largely celebrated Knox's return. Rudy Guede became the sole culprit after his acquittal. The Guardian reported that prosecutors signaled that the legal battle was not yet over by appealing the decision to Italy's Supreme Court.

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Subsequent appeals and final acquittal

Citing contradictions in the appeals ruling, the Italian Supreme Court revoked the 2011 acquittals in March 2013 and mandated a new trial in Florence. September 2013 marked the start of this new trial. Amanda Knox, who had stayed in the United States, did not go.

According to The Guardian, the defense emphasized procedural mistakes and the absence of concrete evidence connecting Knox to the crime scene, while prosecutors rehashed earlier evidence.

Knox and Sollecito were found guilty once more on January 30, 2014. Knox was given 28.5 years of jail time, and Sollecito was given 25 years. According to the BBC, Italy even sought Knox's extradition from the United States. However, the Supreme Court of Cassation in Italy rendered its final decision on March 27, 2015, conclusively clearing Knox and Sollecito.

According to The Times, the judges ruled that there was no evidence linking them to the crime scene and denounced previous investigations for gaps in the procedure.

By then, Amanda Knox had already been free for nearly four years, but the ruling removed all legal uncertainty. Guede remained the only convicted individual in Kercher's death. He was released in late 2021 after serving 13 years with good-behavior credits, as per the BBC.

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Stay tuned for more news and updates on upcoming shows on Hulu.