Amanda Knox gets 26 Years

[Fabrizio]

^ Yes, by some it will be considered that way.

------

It would be quite something if Patrick Lamumba (the black fellow falsley accused of murder) got an agent and made some rounds of the US chat shows. I wonder how it would go over?

[Ninjahedge]

If a court finds you guilty of falsey accusing a black person of murder... in the US, it's not cool. It's a very highly charged crime. It is a culturally loaded issue.

Here's the key.

That was not something she came out and said directly. She was coerced and this was suggested. Her "accusation" was more of a "sure he could have done it" than a "I am innocent, THAT guy is the guy you are looking for!!!!"

Upholding the ruling, and saying that the punishment conveniently matched the time served, is too much to just blink twice at and call a day.



So, whatever. The whole point of a slander charge is not to silence the people, but to make it so that people do not HURT others by unfounded accusations.

When her parents cry "foul" against the judge that DID screw things up, then it is a far cry from slander.

If they called him an ugly moron that does not deserve to breathe, let alone wear the [insert item of Italian Justice wardrobe here], then that would be more along the line of baseless insulting in order to hurt/damage.

The whole thing was a crock, and somehow accusing those that said it was so early on of "slander" as a double joke.

[Ninjahedge]

^ Yes, by some it will be considered that way.

------

Actually, by most.

It would be quite something if Patrick Lamumba (the black fellow falsley accused of murder) got an agent and made some rounds of the US chat shows. I wonder how it would go over?

Realistically? I do not think it would go over well. if we are talking shallow here, Knox is too cute to be slammed like that. Most of the other info has already circled around. Lumumba may get a few ears on his case, but not enough to make a really successful circuit.

Am I saying that he does not have a case? Especially in regards to the cops themselves? Nope. But I just do not think he can make much, if any, money off of it.

[dougm]

If a court finds you guilty of falsey accusing a black person of murder... in the US, it's not cool. It's a very highly charged crime. It is a culturally loaded issue.

As Ninja said, it has more to do with if you used racial epithets or if they can show in some other way that you accused him because he is black. A white person accusing a black person of a crime is not necessarily outrageous here -- it has to be racially motivated.

[dougm]

^ Yes, by some it will be considered that way.

------

It would be quite something if Patrick Lamumba (the black fellow falsley accused of murder) got an agent and made some rounds of the US chat shows. I wonder how it would go over?

I think it would be a very poor idea. I don't think he would come off sympathetically, especially if the interviewers started wanting to know why he gave an interview to the Daily Mail saying the cops hit him and used racial slurs when they arrested him, and also told another journalist that the cops hit him too. And they shut down his business for months after his release, yet he now has bad things to say only about Amanda. And they might also want to know why his attorney called Knox the things he called her in court.

I can see it now, a picture of Amanda on the screen behind him, and the interviewer saying, "now Mr' Lumumba, your attorney called Amanda Knox a she devil, a witch, and sex obsessed in court. He also openly accused her of murder, when the judges and jury subsequently ruled that there was no evidence to prove she was involved. Do you agree she is sex obsessed? How do you know? How do you know she killed anyone? What evidence do you have?

I don't really think he would make much of a sympathetic character. He could try to explain that she accused him because he is black, but if the interviewer chose to read what she actually said, and explain the circumstances, I don't think he would be too popular.

It may be that he is a sypathetic character in Italy, but I don't think he would be in the US. As other posters have said, the idea of the crime of Calunnia is not something understood here.

[Diocletian]

I think to make the book a success she'll need to overcome 2 hurdles: under Hellman's court she is still a convicted criminal (charged with slander.)

And then there is the appeal filed by the prosecution.

Nope. She just needs to make people buy her book. No one will care what the Italian courts say.

[Diocletian]

As Ninja said, it has more to do with if you used racial epithets or if they can show in some other way that you accused him because he is black. A white person accusing a black person of a crime is not necessarily outrageous here -- it has to be racially motivated.

Personally, I'm outraged at all the white people who falsely accused Knox of murder. What's up with all this white-on-white crime in Italy, anyway?

[ZippyTheChimp]

It would be quite something if Patrick Lamumba (the black fellow falsley accused of murder) got an agent and made some rounds of the US chat shows. I wonder how it would go over?

It might be good for Lumumba, but not necessarily bad for Knox.

Lumumba is a victim, but so is Knox. More so by several years. It's not like Knox used her wealth and influence to dominate Lumumba. They are both underdogs.

So you have to have the antipodal. Who might that be? The police, prosecution, court? They have all the power; they are the favorites, who usually win.

People like underdogs, especially those that fight back.

[dougm]

It might be good for Lumumba, but not necessarily bad for Knox.

Lumumba is a victim, but so is Knox. More so by several years. It's not like Knox used her wealth and influence to dominate Lumumba. They are both underdogs.

So you have to have the antipodal. Who might that be? The police, prosecution, court? They have all the power; they are the favorites, who usually win.

People like underdogs, especially those that fight back.

Speaking for myself, I think that Lumumba would do a lot better if he were to join Knox, come out and say that the police abused them both, and file claims against the police instead of Knox. Her book deal is just the latest evidence that he has hitched his wagon to the wrong horse, so to speak (in saying this, I am taking the position that his charges against her are disingenuous, yes).

Of course, in doing what I am suggesting, he would probably have to get the heck out of Perugia, lest Mignini and goons turn their venom back on him again. My suggestion is simply that I don't think he is ever going to end up with much money or anything else from continuing to pursue accusations against Amanda, who, if he keeps up, will have a real case of defamation against him (assuming her acquittal is confirmed, which I think it will be). She just made a deal for $4 million -- even if the complete case is confirmed, she can pay him the $50K the court told her to pay, and I'm sure that will last him a couple of years or he can buy a car or something. I guess where he lives he is more popular than Amanda, but not anywhere else.

[Fabrizio]

Lumumba considers Knox the epitome of evil.

By the way, Lumumba also blames the police for his situation and has said so in Italian in a recent interview. This silly business about Mignini "and his goons" going after him ... is just laughable.

Lumumba does however believe that Knox was invovled in Kercher's murder. Add him to the list of others there during the days before and immediately after the murder that believe Knox was involved: Kercher's boyfriend, the flatmates and Kercher's English friends.

[infoshare]

In the grand scheme of things it's all so silly: the economy in Italy is in the dumps, the cultural heritage in disarray - and the band plays on about Foxy Knoxy. Talk about 'fiddling while Rome burns'.

[Fabrizio]

In Italy the "the band plays on about Foxy Knoxy."?

Oh really... could you explain further?

[dougm]

Lumumba considers Knox the epitome of evil.

By the way, Lumumba also blames the police for his situation and has said so in Italian in a recent interview. This silly business about Mignini "and his goons" going after him ... is just laughable.

Lumumba does however believe that Knox was invovled in Kercher's murder. Add him to the list of others there during the days before and immediately after the murder that believe Knox was involved: Kercher's boyfriend, the flatmates and Kercher's English friends.

How do you know what Lumumba believes? It seems to me he will say whatever he can to get his pay day.

[dougm]

Lumumba considers Knox the epitome of evil.

By the way, this "epitome of evil" business is just nuts. The only evidence anyone has that she could possibly be "the epitome of evil" is a fictional account of the murder that is not supported by facts. Did Lumumba tell anyone how "evil" he thought she was before he was put in jail? If he thought she was so "evil", why did he meet with her outside her school the very day of the famous interrogation that took place that evening? He sought her out, not the other way around. Yet people love this "he knew her best in Perugia, and he says she is evil" business. I think he is full of merda.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Why wouldn't these people "believe" that Knox was involved?

Lumumba, whether intentional or not, was screwed by Knox and/or the police. He lost his business. He'd be a fool to go after the authorities. So there's Knox.

Isn't one - maybe both - of the roommates a law student. I'm sure they immediately got lawyered up. Since those close to the victim or the crime scene are immediately seen as suspects, the smart thing to say, "Not me, it's that other girl."

Kercher's boyfriend? BFs are never suspects.

Aren't Kercher's English friends the ones who left the country?

I realize that some of that is ridiculous, but no more than their opinions carrying any weight.