Familiarity pretty good—I’ve read the Wiki page, revisited several articles from when the murder was first discovered and I watched Sky news the day of the verdict and saw/heard Prof of Criminology, feminist journalist, UK barrister and two Italian barristers. I frequently search the web, hence I found this site.
(I don’t understand the up/down system.)
I find the logic of the murder disturbing—if the murder was a game gone wrong, then it was not premeditated, so unlikely gloves were worn. If bleach was used to clean, then why was Guede’s DNA all over the body and room? The only DNA evidence for Raffaelle is highly suspect and a physical impossibility to leave DNA only in that one place I would think. That really is the beginning and the end of it.
The Prof of Criminology’s view I have to take seriously. But, in saying that Amanda’s diary reads like a gap-year Rosemary West he failed to draw contrasts as well as comparisons. Rosemary West was severely abused from early chidlhood, she did not study languages or develop an interest in creative writing.
I have an alternative scenario—a young woman from a comfortable secure All-American upbringing, who has no idea of the level of corruption and politicking in the world, visits Italy and discovers the magic of old Europe and the unexpected appeal of herself to Italian men—the intoxicating culture of Italy, the constant calls of ‘Ciao Bella’ from men lounging in doorways—and, being naive and unwordly, behaves carelessly and without circumspection not realising that beneath the relaxed veneer of Italian culture lies a strict code of conduct, especially for women. Amanda has behaved exactly as you would expect of an innocent girl with that background—she simply could not comprehend that she could be convicted for a crime that she did not commit and didn’t take her interview with the police seriously.
Given the above scenario, when asked to imagine what might have happened that night, Amanda may well have enjoyed being able to apply her obvious interest in macarbre story telling. I myself wonder at the violence depicted in much fiction but being able to express the human condition in fiction is important and we should not rush to criminalise the use of the macarbre in fiction.
I don’t want to cast aspersions but I found it very strange that Meredith’s parents did not talk at the press conference and I started to find their silence spooky rather than dignified. I also think that Meredith had made it clear to her family that she did not at all like her flatmate’s arrogant American ‘no one can touch me’ attitude. Supposing the Italian barrister dangled the potential for millions in compensation in front of them? How would they feel?
And why does Meredith’s mother now say that querying the verdict is making her unhappy? Would she not care if an innocent went to jail? And surely the pain of her daughter’s death is not going to disappear from her mind even when the story disappears from the media? It starts to sound more like a desire for revenge than for justice.
Finally, I’ve worked with about a dozen Italian professionals and was astounded by their anti-American feeling. There have been US bases in Italy since WWII and Italy led the anti-Iraq war movement with their colourful Pace flags.
I don’t know what Amanda and Raffaelle were up to that night. I think they were in the first bloom of attraction to each other, on drugs (perhaps more than just cannabis), and not being particularly sensible. But the case is not beyond reasonable doubt, neither is accusing the other, and they have served 2 years in jail already.
PS. this site is a very welcome find—it seems that many, many people these days prefer ‘opinion’ to logic or standards—I call it the Strictly Syndrome—a cult of personality combined with sectarian affiliations—it’s really quite scary to hear how little people care about evidence, universal standards or intelligent debate nowadays. Bring back the Enlightenment, I’ve had enough of postmodernism!
And why does Meredith’s mother now say that querying the verdict is making her unhappy? Would she not care if an innocent went to jail?
I’ve often seen that pattern. When someone is murdered and someone is convicted for it, the bereaved insist, no matter how controversial the trial, that justice has been done and that any querying of the verdict is an insult to the memory of their loved one.
In fact, the bereaved normally do this before and throughout the trial, and sometimes continue afterwards even if the accused are not convicted. The media loves displaying them during the trial.
Most but not all. There is a small contingent of UK people, myself included. There were meet ups for a bit in London, but those have fallen by the wayside recently.
I don’t think I’m being ironic. First, I don’t think character analysis is necessary in this case but as the prosecution and support for the verdict both rely on character analysis, I have attempted to put forward an alternative analysis that depicts Amanda as cosseted, well-educated, literary and imaginative. This is the opposite of Rosemary West, so I raise the question as to whether the two styles of writing are directly comparable.
Familiarity pretty good—I’ve read the Wiki page, revisited several articles from when the murder was first discovered and I watched Sky news the day of the verdict and saw/heard Prof of Criminology, feminist journalist, UK barrister and two Italian barristers. I frequently search the web, hence I found this site.
(I don’t understand the up/down system.)
I find the logic of the murder disturbing—if the murder was a game gone wrong, then it was not premeditated, so unlikely gloves were worn. If bleach was used to clean, then why was Guede’s DNA all over the body and room? The only DNA evidence for Raffaelle is highly suspect and a physical impossibility to leave DNA only in that one place I would think. That really is the beginning and the end of it.
The Prof of Criminology’s view I have to take seriously. But, in saying that Amanda’s diary reads like a gap-year Rosemary West he failed to draw contrasts as well as comparisons. Rosemary West was severely abused from early chidlhood, she did not study languages or develop an interest in creative writing.
I have an alternative scenario—a young woman from a comfortable secure All-American upbringing, who has no idea of the level of corruption and politicking in the world, visits Italy and discovers the magic of old Europe and the unexpected appeal of herself to Italian men—the intoxicating culture of Italy, the constant calls of ‘Ciao Bella’ from men lounging in doorways—and, being naive and unwordly, behaves carelessly and without circumspection not realising that beneath the relaxed veneer of Italian culture lies a strict code of conduct, especially for women. Amanda has behaved exactly as you would expect of an innocent girl with that background—she simply could not comprehend that she could be convicted for a crime that she did not commit and didn’t take her interview with the police seriously.
Given the above scenario, when asked to imagine what might have happened that night, Amanda may well have enjoyed being able to apply her obvious interest in macarbre story telling. I myself wonder at the violence depicted in much fiction but being able to express the human condition in fiction is important and we should not rush to criminalise the use of the macarbre in fiction.
I don’t want to cast aspersions but I found it very strange that Meredith’s parents did not talk at the press conference and I started to find their silence spooky rather than dignified. I also think that Meredith had made it clear to her family that she did not at all like her flatmate’s arrogant American ‘no one can touch me’ attitude. Supposing the Italian barrister dangled the potential for millions in compensation in front of them? How would they feel?
And why does Meredith’s mother now say that querying the verdict is making her unhappy? Would she not care if an innocent went to jail? And surely the pain of her daughter’s death is not going to disappear from her mind even when the story disappears from the media? It starts to sound more like a desire for revenge than for justice.
Finally, I’ve worked with about a dozen Italian professionals and was astounded by their anti-American feeling. There have been US bases in Italy since WWII and Italy led the anti-Iraq war movement with their colourful Pace flags.
I don’t know what Amanda and Raffaelle were up to that night. I think they were in the first bloom of attraction to each other, on drugs (perhaps more than just cannabis), and not being particularly sensible. But the case is not beyond reasonable doubt, neither is accusing the other, and they have served 2 years in jail already.
PS. this site is a very welcome find—it seems that many, many people these days prefer ‘opinion’ to logic or standards—I call it the Strictly Syndrome—a cult of personality combined with sectarian affiliations—it’s really quite scary to hear how little people care about evidence, universal standards or intelligent debate nowadays. Bring back the Enlightenment, I’ve had enough of postmodernism!
I’ve often seen that pattern. When someone is murdered and someone is convicted for it, the bereaved insist, no matter how controversial the trial, that justice has been done and that any querying of the verdict is an insult to the memory of their loved one.
It’s completely barking mad, but then, people are crazy.
(Edit:) And welcome, erica.
In fact, the bereaved normally do this before and throughout the trial, and sometimes continue afterwards even if the accused are not convicted. The media loves displaying them during the trial.
Thanks for the Welcome. I laughed at the illustration.
I’m in the UK, are most other people in the US?
Thanks for your replies. Orientation increased to 37% :)
Most but not all. There is a small contingent of UK people, myself included. There were meet ups for a bit in London, but those have fallen by the wayside recently.
Somebody posted a breakdown by country a while back. You can probably find it in the search. I think the US was the largest group by raw count.
I’m from Australia by the way. Also, welcome.
Erica Are you being ironic?, “But...she did not study languages or develop an interest in creative writing.”
I don’t think I’m being ironic. First, I don’t think character analysis is necessary in this case but as the prosecution and support for the verdict both rely on character analysis, I have attempted to put forward an alternative analysis that depicts Amanda as cosseted, well-educated, literary and imaginative. This is the opposite of Rosemary West, so I raise the question as to whether the two styles of writing are directly comparable.