Northwestern students and faculty expressed varying viewpoints at the overturning of Amanda Knox’s murder conviction Monday.
Knox, a University of Washington student studying abroad in Perugia, Italy, was convicted of the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in 2009. The acquittal brought an end to Knox’s four-year prison ordeal, following a lengthy and highly publicized appeal process.
Forensic specialists verified Knox’s DNA connection to the murder evidence was questionable in June. Court-appointed experts also confirmed the forensic scientists in the case had committed several errors in their investigation, strengthening Knox’s appeal case. Had Knox’s appeal been rejected, prosecutors sought to increase her sentence from 26 years to life.
McCormick freshman Salil Gupta said he was surprised by the outcome.
“I’d heard the Italian prosecutors were pretty adamant about getting her more jail time,” Gupta said.
But Prof. Juliet Sorensen of the law school’s Center for International Human Rights, said the decision was not surprising given the lack of substantial evidence.
“The undermining of the DNA evidence was very significant, and the other evidence in the case was largely circumstantial,” Sorensen said.
Medill freshman Megan Hernbroth, who plans to study abroad in Qatar, also highlighted the implications of the case for potential study abroad students.
“It just makes me nervous about traveling abroad; if this allegedly was my roommate, that justice wouldn’t be brought,” she said.
About 750 NU undergraduate students study abroad each year, according to Alicia Stanley, associate director of the Study Abroad Program. 31 students traveled to Italy last year, although none studied in Perugia.
The Study Abroad Office implements several measures to ensure the safety of students overseas. Students must attend pre-departure orientation sessions, which include information on academic requirements, health and safety issues and cultural adjustments. Students must also register with International SOS, a security company that provides 24-hour travel, medical and security advice for traveling students and faculty.
Weinberg junior Ali Riegler, president of the College Republicans, emphasized the importance of realizing the legal disparities between study abroad countries and the U.S.
“Students need to understand that the justice system here is not the same as in other countries,” Riegler said.
Sorensen also stressed the case as a “cautionary tale” about appropriate behavior in foreign countries.
“The advice anyone would give to a student, with or without Amanda Knox, would be to keep your common sense and wits about you,” Sorensen said.
