The dramatic release of Amanda Knox has been widely welcomed by the US media, with a number of journalists arguing she should never have been found guilty of Meredith Kercher’s murder.
Articles written in the wake of the 24-year-old American’s courtroom victory have been heavily critical of the Italian prosecutors’ “far-fetched” case against her, with one comparing her treatment to the Salem witch trials of 1692.
But they also praised the Italian justice system for allowing Ms Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, to automatically appeal against their convictions.
In an editorial published yesterday, The Seattle Times said the jury which overturned Ms Knox’s conviction concluded “what many have long suspected”.
It said: “The case against former University of Washington student Amanda Knox was always just too far-fetched.
“An Italian jury concluded what many have long suspected – Ms Knox certainly was guilty of goofy, insensitive behaviour and pot use. But there was never sufficient evidence to prove she murdered her roommate, whom she knew only a few weeks.”
The newspaper, published in Ms Knox’s home city, said that, despite negative comments about the Italian justice system, the courts allow for two automatic appeals, with the first leading to the release of Ms Knox and her ex-lover.
The online article added: “But the tragedy is for a Seattle family and Ms Knox, who has spent more than 1,000 days of her young life behind bars.”
It also spoke of the sense of “relief” in the Seattle and University of Washington community and said it was time for Ms Knox to “resume her life”.
“This case always seemed like a bad novel and somewhat, somehow, overblown and distorted,” it added.
Meanwhile, New York Times journalist Timothy Egan said there were lessons to be learned from the case.
In an article published on the newspaper’s website he wrote that the tragic junior “year” abroad was over, at long last, for Ms Knox.
“For that, we have to thank an Italian legal system that essentially gives every convicted criminal a do-over – more formally, an appeal before fresh eyes. Bravo for Italy,” he said.
He said a “global media cabal had initially turned Amanda into a villainous cartoon” despite her having no criminal record or motive for killing Ms Kercher.
Nina Burleigh, of the Los Angeles Times, claimed Ms Knox was subjected to “misogynistic” behaviour in the case against her – which was driven by “her femaleness, her Americanness, her beauty”.
“In person, in prison and in the media, Ms Knox was subjected to all manner of outlandish, misogynistic behaviour,” she wrote.
“To the Italian authorities, her careless seductiveness juxtaposed with the ghastly scene inside her house were clues to the witch, the deliberate player of men: Their theory was that she was not only a murderer but a murderous mastermind.”
Meanwhile, PR guru Max Clifford said Ms Knox could earn between £5 and £20 million from her story but she should give some to the family of Meredith Kercher. The 24-year-old has the eyes of the world on her after overturning her murder conviction almost four years after the British student was killed in Perugia.
Her advisers will have already been deluged with media offers, said Mr Clifford.
“You are talking about millions,” he said.
“It’s a huge story and, of course, it’s still going on; people have so many questions about what really happened.
“The story has dominated the headlines for the last four years.
“With the big television interviews, like Oprah, the book deal, film rights and if the book and film are successful she’s going to be making millions, £5 million to £20 million.
“From a PR point of view most people doubt the verdict.
“Therefore one of the things she should do is donate to the Kercher family so that would at least get her some public support.”