Thursday, February 12, 2009

BBC Interview: Mignini Comes Across As Fair, Decent, Funny, And Quite Sane

Posted by Peter Quennell


Click above for Julian Joyce’s exclusive interview with Prosecutor Mignini.

This one might have the Salty’s Restaurant crowd grinding their teeth. And Amanda Knox’s own counsel rather relieved.

Note these significant insights into Prosecutor Mignini’s thinking, situation and health.

Giuliano Mignini told the BBC he had “never visited a psychologist” and he was taking legal action against a US paper that carried the allegations.

Mr Mignini also said Ms Knox’s backers were trying to “influence” the trial. Amanda Knox and her Italian boyfriend are accused of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in 2007…

Mr Mignini said he was “not happy” about a story on the West Seattle Herald’s website last month in which supporters of Amanda Knox say he is believed to be mentally unstable…

No-one at the West Seattle Herald could be reached for comment. Mr Mignini confirmed he has started an action for defamation against the newspaper.

He joked: “I am quite a healthy man. I don’t go to the doctor much and I have never visited a psychologist.”

The allegations are the latest episode in what Mr Mignini believes to be a systematic attempt to discredit him, and thus derail Amanda Knox’s trial.

He said: “These are allegations from 9,000 kilometres away from people who have no knowledge of me and to whom I have never spoken. “I would never give an opinion on someone I know nothing about.

“I regard it as trying to influence the trial. These things might happen in Italy but I really would not expect attempts to influence to come out of the United States.”

Evidence that the trial’s prosecutor is also being targeted by Ms Knox’s supporters appears prominently on the website of Seattle lawyer Anne Bremner, who represents the Friends of Amanda.

They include accusations that he leaked “false information” to the press and that Mr Mignini is under indictment for “abuse of office”. The indictment allegation is understood to refer to a previous case that Mr Mignini investigated in Florence.

But Mr Mignini said it was true that although a Florence prosecutor had brought proceedings against him, another court had already “declared non-existent” the charges of abuse of office.

Mignini is also quoted as being “in thrall to a sort of delirium” in his handling of the Florence case, in which he “fantasized amazing and complex Satanic conspiracies.”

This is believed to be a reference to Mr Mignini’s involvement in an inquiry connected to the infamous “Monster of Florence” serial killings, during which Mr Mignini is said to have consulted an alleged psychic, Gabriella Carlizzi….

But Mr Mignini said he was “not friendly” with Mrs Carlizzi, and did not share her views, even to the point of having her arrested in 2005.

“I have said these things many times to American journalists,” he said. “But there are none so deaf as those who will not hear.”

A systematic attempt to discredit Mr Mignini and thus to derail Amanda Knox’s trial? Well! Who would have thought it.

Now, about that rumored gigantic libel/slander lawsuit that London lawyers would like him to get active…

Comments

This calm and well-written article provides a much-needed corrective to the “truth-based” attack launched from Seattle. It should lead to some hasty corrections on the FOA website and on Bremner’s Amanda Knox page—but will it?

Let’s hope that something akin to the removal of Judge Heavey’s ill-advised letter—written on his official King County Superior Court letterhead and requesting a change of venue—will occur. As a reminder, that letter was removed from its prominent position on Bremner’s site. It was said that Heavey wrote an apology, but if he did that letter was never made public.

This is an important point, because I think this in part is what Mignini means by attempting to influence (and disrupt) the process in Italy.

Posted by Skeptical Bystander on 02/12/09 at 06:52 PM | #

I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the amount of coverage being given to the FOAK and their statements.  I can understand grief stricken parents such as AK’s doing or saying a lot of things inconsistent with what otherwise is considered factual. 

The rest of the crowd is in it for the money.  The reason the parents need fundraisers is to continue to pay these armchair lawyers and PR leaches and writers.  These people are victimizing both Meredith and AKs parents/sister.  Jane Fonda (I think) once said that no advertising is bad advertising.  These bozos are getting advertising in spades!

Posted by Arnold_Layne on 02/12/09 at 11:31 PM | #

I’m glad the media are finally reporting more positively on Mignini and find it hard to understand why his mental state or previous cases should have anything to do with the present case in hand.

I agree with a previous point made on this site (I believe), that even if Mignini was replaced I it wouldn’t influence the trial much as the defendants still have to face the music irrespective of who was prosecuting. This low down dirty tactic really hasn’t done Ms Knox any favours.

If the Italian people think Mignini is the best man for the job that’s good enough for me!

Thanks for the link, it was an interesting read, far easier than Frank’s pro/anti/odd Mignini article/rant/ biography posted the other day 😉

Posted by Miss Represented on 02/12/09 at 11:40 PM | #

Presumably, Mignini is also refering to the father and sister of RS having their telephone conversation intercepted where they suggest that their expensive lawyer might be able to use some political clout on their behalf.

These attempts at disrupting the process seem to have no end.

Has anyone else read the report that ABC has now got the Knox family booked into a luxury hotel in Rome and are driving them round in a limo to sites associated with the case?.

If they are making a documentary on the case and it is like the previous ones aired in the US, it’ll probably be just as unfactual as previous attempts and be seen as another US attempt to ‘send in the marines’.

All very unhelpful, but ultimately the evidence is going to speak for itself.

Posted by Kevin on 02/13/09 at 01:27 AM | #

Kevin wrote:

“Has anyone else read the report that ABC has now got the Knox family booked into a luxury hotel in Rome and are driving them round in a limo to sites associated with the case?”

I have heard anecdotal reports but not read this anywhere. Is this the price the PR firm is getting in exchange for access?

Posted by Skeptical Bystander on 02/13/09 at 01:54 AM | #

I really enjoyed the BBC article.  I hope Mignini screws the WSH to the floor with his lawsuit as it will hopefully make others based in the USA think twice before they speak in future. 

Then he should go after the PI. 

If the Knox’s think the coverage in the UK is bad, they should sue Nick Pisa.  They haven’t.  One year on.  Actions or rather inaction in this case speaks louder than words.

Posted by daisysteiner on 02/13/09 at 12:28 PM | #

First news today, from Tiscali Italy, is that ‘consultants’ for the defence have rented a house similar to Meredith’s to prove that a break in by RG is possible. Not sure if these are consultants for the offical defence, a TV company, or ‘supporters’

If its the offical defence team, then surely the actual house is available?, if it is a TV company or ‘supporters’ then presumably we are in for a second ‘unoffical trial’ ... i.e. a circus?

Posted by Kevin on 02/13/09 at 01:20 PM | #

It’s funny how much attention the West Seattle Herald has gotten through all of this. It was really the paper route that NOBODY wanted as a kid when I was growing up because it was only a once a week paper back then (Wednesday if I remember correctly)and was only a slight step up from the Nickel Want-ads.

Posted by mortytoad on 12/18/09 at 01:31 AM | #

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