Hello

Amanda Knox was found guilty of murder today by an Italian court, the latest twist in a murder case that goes back to 2007.

The judge sentenced Knox to 28 years and six months in prison. Her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and co-defendant was sentenced to 25 years.

They were found guilty of the 2007 murder of her former roommate Meredith Kercher in a cottage they shared in Perugia, Italy.

Knox, who remained in her hometown of Seattle for the trial, watched the verdict with her family live on television.

"I am frightened and saddened by this unjust verdict," Knox said in a statement. "Having been found innocent before, I expected better from the Italian justice system."

"My family and I have suffered greatly from this wrongful persecution," she added.

Knox, 26, said in her statement that the tough verdict "is no consolation for the Kercher family" and said, "This has gotten out of hand."

READ AMANDA KNOX'S FULL STATEMENT ON HER GUILTY VERDICT FOR MURDER

She blamed her conviction on "overzealous and intransigent prosecution, prejudiced and narrow-minded investigation, unwillingness to admit mistake, reliance on unreliable testimony and evidence, character assassination, inconsistent and unfounded accusatory theory."

Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga said after the verdict, "We have not lost our courage. We respect this judgment. We will appeal"

Kercher's sister Stephanie and brother Lyle were in the courtroom for the verdict and listened to it with composure. Lyle Kercher later said, "No matter what the verdict is it is never going to be a matter of celebrating.... It is probably the best thing we could have hoped for."

Shortly before the verdict was reached Knox told the Guardian that if found guilty she hoped that the U.S. government would refuse to extradite her to Italy.