The Birthdays of Amanda Knox And Of Meredith

Comments

These people actually have no decency at all… Their daughter is the “victim”. Poor little Bambi with her big innocent eyes, she baked her birthday cake and blah-blah-blah. Not a word for the real victim who does not have birthdays anymore ...

No shame. I understand that Amanda’s family struggles and suffers. I can even understand that they do not want to see - or face - the truth. It is human I guess. But all this fuss around their daughter/sister while this is about another daughter/sister’s murder is nauseating.

If Amanda had only said the truth, only the truth, things may be different for her, and the outcome of all this as well!

I remember when Edda said that “she felt sorry that Meredith’s parents would learn about their daughter sex life”! How mean can that be! Venom pouring out of her own personal ... disbelief?

I agree Patou. No matter what the outcome, I found it totally inappropriate for Edda Mellas to state that the Kercher’s would find out that their “good, little girl was not as good as they thought”. With a statement like this, it gives me some insight into Amanda’s upbringing. I apologize in advance for my next comment Peter, this was pure trailer trash talk…. Meredith seemed to be a beautiful soul and well liked. My heart absolutely breaks for her family.

“The Knox and Mellas families have still not reached out to the Kercher family in their grief, and have seemingly avoided face-to-face meetings in the court.”

I have read that statement in all of its various forms over the last 2 years. I don’t know why but for some reason today it struck me. Why wouldn’t you reach out to the victims family? They are not the enemy,but truely a family who lost a loved one. If you do indeed believe it could have very well been your own daughter….YOU WOULD!

Peter, thank you for bringing this up.

I also find it sickening that so much attention is placed on Amanda and her birthday. IOW, the public is expected to share in the celebration of this woman’s birth and life, ignoring the fact that she may very well have caused the death of another young woman, who, indeed, will have no more birthdays.

Instead, there should be articles remembering and honoring Meredith on November 1, the day her life ended.

As for the Mellas/Knox family, everything they do demonstrates their shamelessness. I read that Edda Mellas actually said that Amanda would extend her sympathies to the Kercher family as soon as she is released from prison. If that doesn’t betray the most convoluted, self-serving behavior and belief system, I don’t know what does. It’s like a quid pro quo: they only get their apology if Amanda is released. As if the Kerchers are holding their breath for her apology.

No, that’s not what it’s about. One extends one’s sympathy b/c it’s the right thing to do. But clearly, they don’t know what is the right thing to do.

As another member of the TJMK community commented, their most recent display was the attempt to bring AK’s 13-year-old half-sister into the court room. I guess they can’t help it; this is who they are. But I do think it speaks volumes for how Amanda was raised and what these people think is normal. Just seeing how she dresses for court gets me into a slow burn. Like it’s just another day hangin’ out with her pals. Every week, a different thrown-together hairdo and cutesy outfit. A sweet, guileless ingenue, right? Frankly, I think it demonstrates her FU attitude, in general. She isn’t bound by any rules, including basic etiquette or basic decency when you’re on trial for the murder of another young woman who also had family and friends who loved her.

Hi MfromBoston. Yes our legal watchers had remarked that legal advice can be against reaching out to the family of the bereaved. They would not make it an iron rule and could not without checking think of any case where the prosecution then considered it as a proof of guilt. Given the automatic civil suits in Italy they perhaps might have suggested something other than the stance taken if only to lower possible awards for damages.

AK does at times seem detached from reality. Psychological evaluations of some kind (we don’t have the details) were carried out while the defendants were going through the process of the hearings. Results were never announced but the several judges who had decide on whether they should be free on bail before being committed to trial seemed to make hard-line remarks thereafter and denied them all bail.

So far as we are aware, neither the families nor the lawyers for the defendants have openly considered offering a psychological defense. Miss Represented has suggested that there is or was an opportunity there.

As you point out, there is a considerable humanness to the Italian system (ironic given some of the cracks from the US) with heavy emphasis on remediation (which ticks off some on the Italian scene who think it has gone too far) and treatment for all detected conditions seems to be routine.

Hi MFromBoston, a ps on this? “Yet, she has also, it seems, told the truth in court about the phone calls, which is why Amanda’s stories seem so disjointed and untrue.”

Guess so, and EM’s role is a tough one. Finn MacCool near the end of his second post on the calls does list an amazing amount of information testified to have been conveyed in a mere 88 seconds, though!

MfromBoston,

Just to clarify, I was certainly not suggesting that Amanda or her family members should try to ‘reach out’ to or contact Meredith’s family in any way. But I found her statement implying that Amanda would do just that as soon as she got out of prison to be disingenous and self-serving.

Of course Edda Mellas is going to support, defend and protect her daughter. The discussion we were having revolved around Edda’s—and the rest of the family’s—statements and behavior during the case, much of which could be said to be questionable, if not outright inappropriate.

And no, I don’t consider it appropriate to bring a 13-year-old to a court session where gruesome details of a vicious murder were going to be discussed and displayed. This sister was allowed to visit Amanda in prison. Trying to bring her into the courtroom conveys to me another attempt to gain sympathy for the defense. Did they bother to check to see if minors would be allowed in court? Obviously not. It was just another instance, to me, of their being oblivious to the existence of things like rules and protocol. But like I said, it’s just who they are—not a particularly mature or savvy bunch.

And no, this sort of thing doesn’t get entered as evidence, but the jury certainly witnesses the behavior of people in court, including defendants on trial for murder who don’t demonstrate respect for other people or social contracts (ie. exchanging flirty glances or turning up their noses at their interpreter.) The jury also witnesses the attitudes and behavior of the parents who raised them. I know that I would be checking it out.

I would like to thank you Peter for this post about Amanda’s birthday. For what it is worth, what is wrong with this, for example:

AK’s Birthday, press release

“We would also like people’s thoughts to be with Mr and Mrs Kercher at this difficult and painful time. We continue to support our daughter”

Press release from Knox family whenever asked for comment:

“Of course we are here to support our daughter, but our thoughts are also very much with the Kercher family”

“The Kercher family have lost a beloved daughter, a friend of our own daughter’s. We are here to see justice done and hope for a fair and balanced trial.”

Etc etc.

What’s WRONG with that, if you believe your daughter to be INNOCENT? It’s called generosity of spirit, humanity, empathy…decency.

I would like to draw attention to this article in the Daily Mail (sorry Peter to change tack but I am SO ANGRY)

This is what I call DISRESPECT.

In the UK the most poor and low born defendant will always find some way of dressing tidily,  in a suit and tie, to show respect to the court. Why could these people not show the same respect to an Italian court? Let alone the victim? Do they think that somehow it is not a ‘real’ or ‘proper’ court? Does Edda find it ok to parade her children as media fodder.

Another astonishing lack of taste, decency and respect from the Knox family. I am beginning to see how Amanda was brought up - clearly their grasp of appropriate social behaviour is not like everyone else’s.

I could weep for Meredith’s sister. She will see these photos. She will ache to see that embrace between two loving sisters. I have a sister myself, it can be a very deep emotional relationship. She has lost Meredith. How dare Edda let Amanda’s sisters be exploited by the press like this in an effort to gain sympathy. How insensitive.

Happy Birthday Meredith. Rest in Peace sweetheart. Justice is coming. And your smile will live forever.

The rest of the Knox clan would appear as clueless/tactless/obnoxious as Amanda. See Nick Pisa’s article here.

Posing for your picture to be taken in front of the place where your sister is alleged to have committed a horrific murder ranks right up there with wearing an “all you need is love” t-shirt to your murder trial. 

As Jennifer commented on another post, I would like to say to the Kercher family that decent, compassionate people everywhere are appalled and saddened by the most recent egregious display by the family of Amanda Knox.

Their insensitive, dispectful behavior only strengthens the resolve of others to hold the memory of Meredith Kercher in the very brightest light.

Where next:

Or to next entry It Is The Jury That Ultimately Matters: How They May Be Seeing The DNA Here

Or to previous entry The Presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei Is Reported To Be Unwell