People in Great Britain believe a fair trial is possible in Italy, while those in the United States are not convinced.
The conviction of American student Amanda Knox in an Italian court has been met with a very different reaction in Britain and the United States, a new two-country Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
The online survey of representative national samples shows that people in the United States do not believe that Knox got a fair trial, while those in Britain are more likely to state that the process was impartial.
Earlier this month, Knox—a 20-year-old American student charged with the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Italy—was convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison. The trial was the subject of massive media coverage in Italy.
On both sides of the Atlantic, the level of interest in this story is high. More than third of people in the U.S. (35%) and Britain (36%) have followed the Knox case very or moderately closely, and less than a third (29% in the U.S., 22% in Britain) have not followed it at all.
While 49 per cent of respondents in Britain think a person would get a fair trial in Italy, only 29 per cent of Americans concur. In fact, Americans are clearly more likely than Britons to believe that a trial in Italy would be unfair (30% to 15%).
While half of Britons (49%) believe that Amanda Knox got a fair trial in Italy, only one-in-four Americans (25%) concur. Americans are three times more likely than Britons to believe that Knox did not get a fair trial.
Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)
CONTACT:
Andy Morris, Research Director, London
+ 44-203-178-3952
andy.morris@angus-reid.com
Of course amanda knox is guilty! I think it is highly inappropriate for her parents and americans to fight for her release. The trial was fully investigated and held up in an honest forthright court of law. The evidence is indisputable.
At the end of the day everyone think differently to me the story its just too complicated than it seems on our screens but i guess this is the nature of these things we will never know !
at the end of the day, justice revealed. knox will be sent for justice.
Amanda Knox is guilty! Americans know nothing about crime. America kill people just for fun. satying in a jail is good coz she can think what she have done..
This is a bad thing to say – I think personally that I am glad not to be on the jury – she could be innocent or she could be guilty – just think about wrong convictions in the past!!!!!!!! People have pleaded guilty to have a more lenient custodial sentence – which is definitely wrong – I personally would rather do extra time than admit I am guilty rather then innocent – things can be sorted – eventually!!!!!! Compensation – but if you have children – like I do – I really do not know what I would do – I believe I would tell the truth in any case!!!! That is my though for the day!!!!!!!!!