Analysis Of The Meredith Kercher Trial

On November 2, 2007, Meredith Kercher was found in her bedroom in Perugia, Italy, brutally stabbed and naked from the waist down. The 22 year-old was studying abroad in Perugia and lived with Amanda Knox, and two other roommates. Knox claimed that she was at her boyfriend’s, Raffaele Sollecito, home, and there until 10:30 am, around the time of the murder. No murder weapon was found at the crime scene, but there was a knife found at Sollecito’s house with Knox’s DNA, but it was never declared the murder weapon. Blood covered clothing that seemed to have been pulled off Kercher, a bra clasp with DNA of Kercher and Sollecito, and fingerprints, some with and without blood, were also admitted as evidence in the trial. DNA of another man was found

When the police first arrived at the crime scene, they weren’t wearing the proper attire for collecting evidence. They were also moving around items, which ultimately contaminates a crime scene since it is no longer in its original state.(Professor Dena Weiss) Instead of moving around objects in a crime scene, and not wearing proper clothing, forensic scientists should document all changes that they make and pay extra attention to what they are wearing and touching while in a crime scene. Additionally, sketches, pictures, and notes help give other a better understanding of what a crime scene looked like originally, so before moving any items in the scene, those steps should’ve have been done. It is not said whether or not sketches or pictures were taken, or if there was a chain of custody established, however doing so allows for more accurate results of a crime scene

Establishing a chain of custody would have resolved this issue because they would have accounted for where it has been and who’s possession it was in, so any inconsistencies could be traced. ( Richard Saferstein) Also, the statement that Knox made when she was first arrested, was forced by rude and threatening police officers, was permissible in court, however it should’ve been thrown out since it was confessed under false pretenses. Another major problem with this case was the contaminated crime scene, if a crime scene was tampered with, it should be thoroughly investigated to see what was moved or what is missing. It was also known that a forensics analyst did not take the body temperature of Meredith Kercher, so they were not able to determine her precise time of death which might have exonerated Knox. Additionally, the clasp from Kercher's bra may have been contaminated because it was not collected as evidence until nearly six weeks after the killing, however during the trial they didn’t take the possibility into account. There were many issues with this case that could be solved by: wearing appropriate clothing while investigating a crime scene, not touching the crime scene until pictures and sketches have been documented, taking a body temperature in order to determine the time of death,