Now Amanda Knox faces slander charge

CONVICTED murderer Amanda Knox appeared in court sporting a boyish new look yesterday as she faced accusations of slandering Italian police while on trial for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

• Back in court: Amanda Knox sits between her lawyers at 'slander' hearing in Perugia. Picture: Getty

Knox claimed she was twice hit by a police officer during interrogation in Perugia.

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Along with her Italian former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, she was found guilty of killing Ms Kercher in December.

Knox, 22, made her first public appearance since she was led away in tears after the verdict. The American student – who once called herself "Foxy Knoxy" – returned to court yesterday with cropped hair, after doing away with the long locks she had at her trial. She wore a plain, low-cut yellow T-shirt during the brief, private preliminary hearing in Perugia, largely devoted to technicalities.

Ms Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found dead in her bedroom in the Umbrian hilltop town on 2 November, 2007, in the house she shared with Knox and others on her year abroad. Her throat was slit and her semi-naked body partially covered by a duvet.

During her trial Knox claimed she had been subjected to violent treatment during questioning by Italian police. Police have denied misconduct and filed slander charges against her. But her lawyer said any such defendant should have the right to defend herself in court without risk of facing slander charges.

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