Meredith accused 'not violent'

Feb 6 2009

A man accused of murdering British student Meredith Kercher when she refused to take part in a violent sex game told a court: "I find it hard to kill a fly."

Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, said he did not know why he was on trial. "It's difficult to define the situation I'm in but it seems completely unreal," he told the packed courtroom in Perugia, Italy.

"I have nothing to do with this case. I'm not a violent person. People who know me know that I find it hard to kill a fly. I don't know why I'm still in this situation. I'm the victim of a judicial error."

He described his relationship with his ex-lover and co-defendant, American Amanda Knox, 21, as "sentimental".

Prosecutors allege that the pair killed Leeds University student Meredith, who was studying in Perugia, after she refused to participate in an extreme sex game. But Sollecito said he had not been with Knox long enough for them to want to include others in their sex life.

Knox and Sollecito were in court in the Umbrian hilltop town for the second hearing in their trial. Knox smiled at her lawyers and appeared relaxed, while Sollecito repeatedly glanced round anxiously as the throng of journalists crowded into the back of the court room.

The hearing began with legal arguments about what evidence will be admissible in the trial, which is expected to be long and drawn out. Knox's lawyers argued that evidence about her accusing an innocent local bar owner of the murder should not be admissible.

Lawyers for the man, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, wanted her accusation to form part of a civil case he is bringing against Knox for falsely implicating him.

Knox made the accusation against the Congolese bar owner during a lengthy interrogation by police after Miss Kercher's body was found on November 2, 2007.

Italy's High Court ruled it inadmissible as evidence against her as she had no lawyer present when she was originally questioned.