Rudy Guede denied a claim in court on Monday that he said that 24-year-old prisoner Amanda Knox was not present during the murder of British student Meredith Kercher. This may be bad news for Knox, who is currently going through an appeal process.
After Guede left the court on Monday, a shocked Knox stood up and stated, he knows we weren't there.
This week is the beginning of Knox's and former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito's appeal. Knox has been in Italian prison for the past 3 1/2 years, and is currently serving a 26 year sentence. Sollecito, who was also convicted of taking part in Kercher's murder, is serving 25 years in prison. They were sentenced 18 months ago.
Guede, the 24-year-old immigrant from the Ivory Coast, admits that he was with Kercher the night she was murdered, and DNA evidence shows that there was a sexual encounter between Kercher and Guede. Guede is serving a sixteen year sentence for his role in the murder of Kercher.
This week is important in the case against Knox because Guede is denying that he told Mario Alessi, a convicted child murderer, that Knox and Sollecito were innocent.
Alessi has stated that he and a friend went to Kercher's home and made advances towards Kercher. After she denied them, they held a knife to her throat.
Guede denies the claims made by Alessi, but armed robber Marco Castelluccio backed Alessi
A recent testimony from a Mafia mobster told the court that his on-the-run brother is responsible for the death of Kercher, and that Knox is innocent. Luciano Aviello is only one of five convicts who are backing claims that Knox and her former boyfriend are innocent.
Aviello, 42, told the court that his brother stabbed Meredith after trying to rob the house she and Knox lived in. He stated: My brother told me he put his hand to her mouth but she struggled. He said he got the knife and stabbed her.
Kercher was found semi-naked, with her throat slit.
Experts are now re-examining the DNA which played a vital part in the case against Knox. The DNA however has been criticized for being weak and inconclusive.