The jury in the Meredith Kercher murder trial in Italy is considering its verdict. Twenty-two-year-old American Amanda Knox is accused of killing the British student during a drunken sex game in the house they shared in the university town of Perugia.

Prosecutors claim Kercher was murdered by Knox and her Italian then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, along with Ivorian drifter Rudy Guede who, last year, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his part in the killing. In a final address to the court Knox made a dramatic statement. “I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced upon me,” she said. Knox is alleged to have persuaded Guede and Sollecito to participate in the murder because she hated Kercher for criticising her promiscuous lifestyle. During her speech, Knox went as far as to praise the prosecution for trying to achieve justice for Meredith. Sollecito also denies any involvement in the killing. He told the court he was at a loss to understand why he had been charged. Knox’s family have pledged to continue their battle to free her even if she is convicted.More about: Italy

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