Fifth Appeal Hearing: The Two Appellants Arrrive In The Courtroom

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The next post will be a roundup from the Italian press after today’s session is over. It seems unlikely there will be much reporting in the English language media. One-day sessions on saturdays is tough and expensive for the Rome press corps to cover.

Each session requires a two-way trip and 2 nights in a hotel. The media may have sunk more resources into covering this case than any other in history. A pity then that the reporting has too often been extremely superficial and highly one-sided.

Photos valuable in themselves.

Sollecito looks elsewhere (does not ‘meet us’), holds his head stiffly at the neck, lips unexpressive. Neither remorse nor anticipation: his future as his past registers blankly.

Contrast the fully human face of the guard who, although with downcast eyes is aware of being photographed, is entirely natural. Or even better: bring up a second screen, Google Raffaele Sollecito & take the images.

Over & over again Sollecitor’s many images at eyes, hold of head, mouth (lips) show immediately the contrast with the attempted (medicated?) mask of his arrival photo.

Puzzling fingers.  Sollecito’s arms are evidently crossed under his cape, the guard’s left hand (holding) also involved.  Crossed arms: Sollecito must acquiesce in a pose of self-restraint.

Amanda is far more present as to the reality of the hour despite the far-away look in her eyes. She is not for once posing for the camera, of which of course she too is quite aware.

There is something in the tilt of her head suggesting thoughtfulness & even “long thoughts.” Her lips might almost be ready to smile if she were not almost grim. She must to court of necessity while (not pleasing her) hear witnesses for Sollecito.

Alas, she is good-looking here & natural enough.  If it weren’t for such plentiful evidence.

Peter, an old man nearing 80 I do try to interpret expressions—but so what?  If this is worthless, remove it please.

PS
Evidently a mistake to think that the witnesses were called only for Sollecito.  See the reports on HuffPost or SeattlePI for this—& for another expressive photo of Amanda (this by Stefano Medici.)

It’s an Amanda we simply haven’t seen in the earlier trial & far more human, less contrived, artificial or dazzling than earlier. Is she becoming more ‘human?’ Or has she lost a measure of false hope?

For some unknown reason, it wasn’t obvious to the Knox defense team during the trial to have AK stop grinning for the cameras and wearing casual, holiday clothing.

It’s evident that after Knox’s conviction, there has been a wake-up call for Knox to have more sober attire and demeanor for criminal murder court proceedings.

Both look like they’re eating well in jail. I don’t know what Italian prison food is like, but I would imagine it is considerably better than prison food in the UK or US.

PS
Yet another mistake: Sollecito’s arm hangs down to his side in a more complete version of this photo. Hand at his right side is the guard’s.

They are reporting this today in all the major media and the comments sections are filled with pro-Amanda know-nothings.

As you can see by the above images; they are both choking back the tears here on their grand entrance. /sarc off.

Why, as Nick Pisa has reported, would Amanda be crying as she was led into court?

Quite a contrast with the Amanda we know from her murder trial - literally bounding into the courtroom as if she had just left her VIP table at some gala ‘do’ to pick up an award onstage.

Methinks her handlers (and counsel) have left it a teeny bit late to teach the convicted and jailed killer they represent courtroom decorum.

Or perhaps we now have a case of life imitating art? (I use the term ‘art’ loosely here).

Have her handlers and family told her to look more the victim like Hayden portrayed in the movie?
Did they see the victimhood come across better in the movie than in the courtroom?

Ok Amanda, get those eyebrows working and furrow your brow like Hayden did - she’s a pro actress so she knows how to project victimhood.

No more knowing looks to your co-accused, no smiling, laughing, giggling, grinning, waving, handing chocolates out or pulling goofy faces to your family and friends.

Ok Amanda, you have to walk into the courtroom for your appeal hearing now, all quiet on the set aaaaand ACTION!

Pictures DO say a thousand words. They capture a moment in time for all of us to see. As far as the two photos posted here, it is the one of Sollecito that I find most interesting.
I see him hiding something. Almost a smile if I dare. He is smitten with his own power. What power you ask? The truth that he won’t reveal. As long as he holds it inside, he feels a sense of control over the court. This is one thing they cannot take from him. The truth that he and AK and Guede also will not reveal.
Why does he have such defiance? Perhaps it was his defiance against what he considered established society which fueled his compulsion to kill Meredith (most likely along with his cohorts of non accepting of the establishment types who shared his disdain for decency).
Meredith is the symbol of good versus his evil. The knife worshiping bad boy (a legend in his own mind) saw Meredith as the opposition. Just like a pedophile that cannot explain why, but accepts what they are and the unspeakable acts they do, Sollecito knows what he is. He wants to keep this a secret for it is not the place he feels people will understand. He takes comfort in the truth. The truth he buries deeply inside his worn despicable soul.

OT

Frank Sfarzo claims in his latest article published on his blog that he has been served with a summons by Guiliano Mignini (form 52). One can only guess that it is in relation to the Meredith Kercher case, even though I am left wondering why Frank Sfarzo would be of any interest.

“Tomorrow they are going to arrest you, an informant let me know last Friday. The information was probably a bit exaggerated (and I wasn’t in town, they couldn’t have arrested me anyway). But the homicide squad (those who were so kind to Raffaele, Amanda and Patrick) did go look for me the next day. When they didn’t find me they called and told me to go to the police station. Yeah, right, I dash…

I told them in no way I would enter that place alone. For sure I know of people who by chance have entered a police station and ended up confessing to be present at a crime… or accusing themselves… or someone else… or they found themselves, next morning, in the morgue.

...

I told them to fax my lawyer what they wanted to tell me. And they faxed a modello 52, convocation of persona informata sui fatti. Signed: Mignini. Okay, Mignini. I can go next Monday.”

In Sollecito’s picture above, he looks to me on the verge of tears.

Sunday morning. I had to be on the road all of yesterday and only got back to NYC very late.

Many thanks for all the heads-up posts above.  Overview of yesterday is due some time today. Some key translations are here now.

Where next:

Or to next entry Fifth Appeal Hearing: Testimony On Club Closings And Buses Leaves Credibility Of Eyewitness Intact

Or to previous entry Fifth Appeal Hearing: What Will Be On The Agenda Tomorrow In Court