This book is a must read for anyone that travels to foreign countries and especially to Italy. When one lives in the U.S. there are certain stop-gaps to the legal system and to the media allowances during a trial. Italy doesn't seem to have anything that will withhold information from the media so the trial can easily be taken to the public and a trial to be decided before the fact by the media. It seems that change of venue is not an option. Whether evidence is collected in a proper way is obviously lacking and there is even more of a push to find someone to pin the crime on no matter what the evidence shows. This is what obviously happened in Italy to this little "girl" that was too young to see the danger that she and her boyfriend were facing. Amanda was in my estimation very stupid, as she was warned several times to protect herself....which she totally ignored (this because she figured her innocence would take care of). Her boyfriend should have known more, but figured innocence was going to see them both through. It is so sad that these two young people lost FOUR YEARS of their lives because of an obviously flawed legal system!!! Now this same system is trying to retry them AGAIN in the media circus and if either one of them submits to this travesty, I am sure that their court system will find a way to make sure that they are incarcerated for life. This probably because Kercher's parents will not let it rest and want to see an innocent girl and boy in jail forever because they have lost their daughter. I feel sad for their loss, but they are wrong in trying to ruin someone else's life on the thin thread that she did not act as they thought she should after the murder. Amanda and their daughter, were nieve little girls that did not think of the games they were playing out in this strange new world. They both were experimenting with drugs and freedom of sexual encounters. Both Meredith and Amanda were in a foreign place that they knew nothing about and playing at being adults. Unfortunately, Meredith paid the price for it in a horrible way. It seems obvious to me that they have the correct person in jail for this crime. He may have even had someone else with him that is roaming the countryside free that I would be hoping the authorities were still looking for if I were Meredith's parents. This is obviously not happening because the Italian authorities are still trying to cover up their embarrassment over the shoddy work they did in investigating this crime in the beginning. Their disgusting way of leaking any of their assumptions to the media so they could look good to the press and public for their "smart" evaluations. This whole thing disgusts me!

I am now reading the book by her boyfriend, which fills in more of the details of what actually took place. Amanda's book is more of the emotional side along with facts. Well worth the read, but pick up the other one too after you read this book. It is shorter, but remains on the actual facts and expounds less on the emotional. Still very fast and interesting read.

I can only say to Amanda.....DO NOT return to that country if you can keep from doing it. You saying that you want to have this thing finally put to rest is not a good idea. The country of Italy would like nothing more then to "be right" and finally put an innocent person or persons in jail. You Raffaele have lost enough of your younger years to a flawed legal system. I only hope that the U.S. does not go along with any extradition of you to that horrible country. I have visited Italy and do not ever intend to return there. This is a travesty of "justice"!!!

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