Knox Appeals Slander Conviction
On Monday, appellate lawyers for Amanda Knox asked an appeals court in Italy to overturn her slander conviction. Knox was cleared of murder in October by an Italian court. The slander conviction stems from statements Knox made while she was being questioned by police in 2007. During the interrogation, Knox falsely accused bar owner, Patrick Lumumba, of the murder of her housemate, Meredith Kercher. She even mentioned that she was hit in the head by police who were questioning her. Knox later confessed that she was under pressure from police which is why she accused the bar owner. Lumumba was actullay jailed for two weeks based on her accusation, but was released due to lack of evidence.
An appellate court is a court with the authority to review decisions made by lower courts, and to hand down new decisions when it is appropriate. In most countries, the legal system has several levels, which allows people to potentially petition a series of appellate courts if they feel that their cases have not been judged fairly.
The appellate court system ensures that people who wish to appeal have the opportunity to do so. A wide variety of decisions made by lower courts can be appealed. For instance, people who are convicted of murder and sentenced to death typically appeal, with the goal of being found innocent, or at least to drag out the process to delay the carrying out of the sentence. Appeals are filed by a lawyer or team of appeal lawyers. It is best to retain an experienced appeal attorney who is familiar with the appeals process, as it can help to achieve the desired outcome.
If you believe that you or someone you know has been sentenced unfairly, you will need to hire a good appeal lawyer to assist you with your appeal. There are deadlines for certain documents to be filed in the district court to be able to appeal your sentence, so you should contact an appeal attorney immediately after you have been sentenced. Please contact The Mace Firm to set a consultation with one of our appellate attorneys.
