Hi! I’m Katie Couric. I hope you will join me September 18th on my new show. I will be interviewing Raffaele Sollecito, one of

the accused killers of Meredith Kercher, an English student,

five years ago in Perugia, Italy…

This story has

a happy ending!

…You were all probably as puzzled as

I was, when last December, Barbara Walters declared "this

case has a happy ending" because Amanda Knox and

Sollecito were released after the first appeal court reversed their

convictions.

While Knox and Sollecito have fled Italy and are "happily" promoting multimillion dollar book deals, there is no happy ending for the family and friends of the murder victim. Meredith Kercher, a beautiful, kind,

and talented young woman, whose life was taken in a cruel and brutal manner, will never have the life she deserved to have.

Hi! I’m Katie Couric. I hope you will join me September 18th on my new show. I will be interviewing Raffaele Sollecito, one of

the accused killers of Meredith Kercher, an English student,

five years ago in Perugia, Italy…

This story has

a happy ending!

…You were all probably as puzzled as

I was, when last December, Barbara Walters declared "this

case has a happy ending" because Amanda Knox and

Sollecito were released after the first appeal court reversed their

convictions.

We’ve caught up with Knox’s former lover, Sollecito, while he’s in the USA promoting his book, prior to the

final appeal of their murder trial in Italy, set for March 2013 ….

… here he is in New York, getting ready for transport to our

studio.

After this commercial break, I’ll see you on

the set, where we’ll receive Raffaele Sollecito.

Please give the welcome that he deserves, to accused

murderer (pending appeal)… Raffaele Sollecito!

Well, well, I see that Dr. Sollecito, Raffaele’s father, is

here to ensure that things don’t get out of hand …

Please take care of my boy – just in case, here’s the list of things you can and cannot ask

Raffaele.

Please take care of my boy – just in case, here’s the list of things you can and cannot ask

Raffaele.

PR Guidelines – Interviews with my son,

Raffaele SollecitoNO questions about his alleged involvement in or knowledge of the murder of Meredith Kercher.

ALL the questions you want about what movies he has seen since prison or anything that helps promote his book.

Well, well, I see that Dr. Sollecito, Raffaele’s father, is

here to ensure that things don’t get out of hand …

I have to admit, TV viewers, that this is a unique situation:

I have in front of me a man accused of a violent, vicious murder, along with two others. Back in Italy, prosecutors are preparing for the final appeal – the tribunal of first instance found

Sollecito and Knox guilty of murdering Meredith Kercher, a wonderful English girl studying in

Perugia.

Now, whomever signed Raffaele on the show, has

gotten me into a journalistic dilemma… how can I be an

honest journalist, searching for the facts in a balanced

manner, while I am limited to asking Raffaele questions

about what he has done since his release from prison while waiting for his final appeal?

Let me tell you, my faithful viewers, because I don’t believe you deserve to be treated like imbeciles: I have a plan ….

Watch this and you’ll see some journalism …

Uurggghh!!

I don’t know about you, TV viewers, but that

sounded like “Because they caught me contradicting

myself in my alibi”

Raffaele, in order to comply with your PR contract,

what I am going to say now are not so much questions,

as my own observations from having done some research

for your visit. I would definitely ask you to please comment or reply to anything you wish.

Observation 1: Why did you admit to police –

without ever complaining of brutality, all night

interrogations, or not being allowed to go to the

bathroom – that Amanda had told you to tell lies to them about your activities on the night of the crime?

Ggrrrrhhhhh!!

While that wasn’t a formal item of legal evidence (as defendants in Italy can’t

incriminate themselves), it certainly is food for thought

for those who have followed this case.

Observation 2: When the famous Double DNA Knife was confiscated from your apartment, and was found to contain both Amanda’s and Meredith’s DNA, why

did you spontaneously tell a false story that you

remembered cooking with Meredith using that knife

and you pricked her with it?

Ooufffff!!

Most parents would do anything to protect their

children, but this case has shown to what ethical and

moral extremes some parents go.

Observation 3: Why did your family take your defense to extra-

judicial extremes, to such an extent that they have

been investigated for attempting to pervert the course of justice, your

sister losing her job as a law enforcement officer, and your

father being recorded as stating that “money can make water flow

uphill” with reference to your defense?

Mmnnnppttt!!

Observation 4: Most TV viewers

will not understand why you never collaborated with the

investigation, and, once the trials started,

why you used your right to not declare with cross-examination.

That wasn’t always the case: back in November of 2007 you

requested through your lawyer to meet with Investigating–

prosecutor Mignini. However, hours before you were to meet

him, fellow suspect, Rudy Guede, was arrested and you haven’t

spoken a word to Mignini since.I think he’s saying that business again about

wishing that he had never met Amanda Knox.

PpaahhhPaahh!

Does the audience believe that the bra DNA is damning

evidence?

Observation 5: Court testimony by

DNA experts underlines that there is no plausible or probable

scenario to explain your DNA on Meredith’s severed bra strap.

There is no basis for suggesting that it got there through

“contamination” at the crime scene, in transport to the forensic

labs, or in the labs.

WWaaffllll!!!

The possibility that Raffaele might go on the record in court and repeat Amanda’s absence

from his apartment has terrified the Knox entourage and PR

machine.

Observation 6: Since you didn’t testify in court, you don’t have an official alibi, leaving the last story that you told police before being

arrested: that Amanda had left your apartment between

9:00 pm and 1:00 am on the night of the

crime.

Sigh!!

“The joint caused me to blackout” is the type of excuse that gets classified with “the

dog ate my homework” except, in this case, the issue

is much more serious.

Observation 7: Exactly what drugs did you consume on the night of the crime, and in what quantity? Knox’s testimony that

you only smoked a couple of joints does not jive whatsoever with the total loss of memory that you both seem to have suffered on the night

of the crime.

Duummmmbt!!

Maybe this is the reason that Raffaele is only planning on

publishing his book in the United States … or maybe because

nobody gives a hoot about him in Italy.

Observation 8: Is your book contract and royalties agreement subject to losing the civil claim for

wrongful death that Meredith’s family have brought against the murderers of their daughter and

sister?

Well, that’s it for this edition of “Katie”. We had to let Raffaele go because he wasn’t willing or able to reply to any questions of substance, and that is bad for ratings.

I honestly hope that I have met your expectations of professional quality journalism in dealing with the murder of Meredith Kercher and the opportunity to interview one of the suspects here.

As a journalist, I live by my reputation: of being an honest and balanced purveyor of news, not a spokesperson for someone’s PR and book sales agenda.

Also, from a human point of view, let’s all remember Meredith Kercher in our thoughts and prayers. She seems to have been a precious person who was brutally, criminally, and cynically murdered in quaint Perugia, almost five years ago.

Post ScriptPost ScriptAs we discuss the ongoing legal process in the murder of Meredith Kercher, it’s important to maintain an overall perspective on the case: there were three suspects who were brought to trial on the basis of the same block of evidence that resulted from the investigation.

One of the suspects – Perugian Rudy Guede – chose the Italian option of a “fast track” trial, where the case is tried in a few short weeks only on the basis of the investigative report. He was found guilty, with the judges’ sentence basing this conviction on, among other things, Rudy’s actions being in conjunction with third persons, not as a solitary criminal.

The two other suspects – Amanda Knox of Seattle and her erstwhile lover of a week, Raffaele Sollecito – decided for a longer, traditional format trial which would allow their lawyers to introduce their own witnesses and well-paid experts. In their first trial they were both found guilty of Meredith’s murder, joining Rudy Guede in prison, despite having the top lawyers in Italy.

Following their initial conviction, the first level appeal saw a curious combination of new experts and legal manoeuvring, which got the two sprung from prison, but not out of the legal battle, as the prosecution has appealed the case.

I do hope that all the suspects and their families are present in Italy next March to hear the results of the final appeal, and that whoever hasn’t yet reached out to the family of Meredith Kercher will do so. To help prepare for any eventuality, I suggest that the suspects’ families read up on the laudable declarations of the family of Raymond Clark following the guilty plea of their son for the murder of Yale student Annie Le.

I recommend the following two sites for further information and debate concerning this case:

True Justice For Meredith Kercher - Perugia Murder File

Any irony or sarcasm which may be encountered in the presentation or our discussions is not meant by any means to trivialise the pain and suffering, and brutal, senseless murder that Meredith experienced, nor to reduce her memory.

I can only hope that there will be one single ending to this crime, that justice is served to those responsible for each of the crimes involved in this case.

- Kermit (14 September 2012) email: krmt123@gmail.com