I've been reading and watching all the coverage in the media about the release of Amanda Knox following her appeal. It's been front page news in all the papers and lead item on the news. What I find so fascinating is that there is almost no mention of her former boyfriend other than to state that he was also released along with her. Even during the trial she was dubbed "Foxy Knoxy" and almost all of the coverage was about her. I strongly suspect that if you took a poll of the general public, 99% of people wouldn't even be able to name the boyfriend - Rafffaele Sollecito ( I admit I had to look it up) but most of them would know her name. It's not just the press but I've noticed that in phone ins on TV and radio and also in comments on various forums and websites the comments are all about her and the general view is that "she got away with it". Now I don't know if she is truly innocent or not because I, along with everyone else apart from the police investigating the case, don't know- I only know what the media have told us about this case and we all know that their main interest in any story is whether it will help them sell more papers/get more viewers and so of course they sensationalise anything they pick up on - a lot of which is probably not true and gathered from various"sources" who may or may not be reliable or unbiased. Rafffaele Sollecito seems to have slipped quietly off home (although I suppose the Italian media may focus on him more) whilst Amanda Knox has the worlds media hot on her heels. Supposing that she is innocent she undoubtedly now finds herself in a no win situation - the press simply won't let her just go back to her life and will continue to hound her until she gives up her story and then of course everyone will say that she is profiting from murder. Some people say that she is the focus of all the attention because she is an attractive woman which is a rather depressing indicment of our society - or is it just sexism?
I do feel desperately sad for the family of Meredith Kercher who, having thought that their daughters killers had been brought to justice, had probably started to put their lives back together (as much as they ever will be able to) and now find themselves thrust back into the full glare of this media circus. They at least seem to have conducted themselves with extraordinary fortitude.
