The parents of Amanda Knox, the US student convicted of murdering her British classmate Meredith Kercher, are to face libel charges over their claim that Italian police abused their daughter.
The unusual charge against the US couple stems from an interview they gave to the Sunday Times three years ago, in which they alleged that she had been physically and verbally mistreated during questioning after Kercher’s murder in 2007. The police denied harming Knox.
Curt Knox and his wife, Edda Mellas, were charged in their absence by a court in Perugia . They are scheduled to stand trail on 4 July.
A repesentative of the Knox family said there would be no comment on the development.
Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted in 2009 of sexually assaulting and murdering Kercher in the cottage the two women shared in Perugia. Kercher was found semi-naked, with her throat slashed.
Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison, and Sollecito to 25 years. Both deny wrongdoing, and their appeal against conviction has begun.
Full Story: Amanda Knox’s parents sued by Italian police over abuse claims | World news | The Guardian