Amanda Knox may be one step closer to telling the world her side of the story about her saga of being wrapped up in an Italian murder trial that caught the world's eye.
Knox, who recently returned home to the United States after winning an appeal of her conviction, has officially inked a deal with attorney Robert Barnett to represent her when it comes to book deals.
Knox was convicted in 2009 of murder, sexual assault, possession of a weapon, interfering with a crime and theft in relation to the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher. But during an appeal this year, a jury cleared Knox of those charges, freeing her. The court also cleared her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
"[Barnett will] represent her in discussions with various book publishers who have expressed an interest in Amanda writing a book," David Marriott, the Seattle public relations specialist hired by the Knox family during her trial told CNN by e-mail. "Mr. Barnett will also assist Amanda and her family in evaluating other opportunities as well."
Barnett is well-known for brokering major book deals with several high-profile figures including: President Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Laura Bush, Bob Woodward and Sarah Palin among several other notables.
Marriott told CNN they had no further details to share about where they were in the process or whether Knox already had anything written. Knox's family has said she enjoys writing and thought she would be interested in sharing her ordeal with others either through writing a book or becoming an advocate.
Knox makes emotional return to Seattle
Knox's announcement came about a week after her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito inked a deal of his own. Sollecito signed with Seattle-based Martin Literary Management.
“This is a case I have followed from day one and never, not even for a moment, have I doubted the innocence of Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox,” Sharlene Martin said in a news release. “I’m honored to work with this fine young man and let the world know the real Raffaele — a sensitive, compassionate and heartfelt person."
"He's never really spoken about that night and this is his opportunity to do so," Martin told CNN. "There's much more to Raffaele than what the world has seen. He is an amazing young man. He is brave, he is heartfelt, he is compassionate. I think he is an incredible young man with a story to tell."
Martin said that both her client and Knox have been in the spotlight for so long and while she just learned about Knox's deal, she is excited for them both to share their stories. She also said the caliber of Knox's agent speaks to how important it is for her story to be told.
"I think Amanda is very fortunate to have him," Martin said. "It speaks volumes for a man of his integrity to want to represent her story and I think it will distinguish her from other crime stories and I think it will help Raffaele."
Martin said that Sollecito's book will be a memoir and will cover several aspects of his life, not just the four-year saga in Perugia, Italy. Martin said they're currently looking for American writers who can also speak with Sollecito in Italian to work on the book.
She said while Knox's story may have been more heavily covered in the media, because she's American, she believes both of the former co-defendants have a lot to share with those who only saw them through the court proceedings.
"They both have equally important stories to tell," Martin said. "They have both been incredibly affected by the death of Meredith Kercher and will always be."
Amanda Knox will pay for her sin in this life same as OJ
No, she won't. But you can comfort yourself with ideas of 'divine justice' if you wish. Truth is, people get away with murder all the time. The world isn't fair, and there's no God up there waiting to set the records straight for you. Knox will do very well by all this. (I think she's probably innocent, btw.)
Aren't christians supposed to... you know... not be judgmental? You people wishing her suffering and pain without any evidence should be ashamed.
First of all, you're innocent until proven guilty. But most importantly, WHO are YOU to pontificate on her guilt, when it was not proven? Fine Christian you are.
LOL! You need a life.
Tomtoma, you twisted twit! The second trial of Knox and her companion clearly showed they should never have been tried/convicted in the first place. You need to start recognizing the world for what it is, a place were officials overstep their bounds, were reason takes a back seat, where tremendous wrong is often never corrected, and some folks are baffled by it all. After looking into the misdeeds of the police chief, I contact many Italian representatives in the US and of those who replied, all were of the conviction that Knox had be had – shame on the police chief of Perugia, and the media that wrong this couple. What if you spent years in prison in a foreign land? I guarantee it would pull the twit out of you.
I just want my life back so time to make millions, some centerfold magazine will be next.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, someone calls you up and offers you a substantial chunk of that or more to tell your story for a book and you'd turn it down?
How typical is this! The American dream lives on. Murderer gets a book deal! Victim's family gets nothing! Disgraceful, and any American that buys this load of twaddle is just as bad as the hag that writes it!
And wait till the movie is out !
The American way! Murder, embezzel, steal whatever and get rich. Look at our politicians. Every single one is in Washington to get rich not to serve. This is the root cause for the American downfall. China will only have to wait a few more years and teh America will be on its knees and ready to capitulate. Yes, there is a just God but you have to accept the bible as the truth. If you don't, you are a lost sheep. The 10 commendments are real.
@Hinterarsch, keep your bible beating BS for your southern religious right lunatics. This story has nothing to do with the bible, but about another soon to be written fiction book.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, someone calls you up and offers you a substantial chunk of that or more to tell your story for a book and you'd turn it down? No, no, of course that makes too much sense.
Enrico, what are you so upset about, she didn't kill a w0p?
@alf, what a useless comment to make. And what's the deal with your name, furry TV character, or simply a racist waste of space!
@Lagos, miss the point much???
Who will purchase the books? Not me
plenty of idiots out there .. don't over estimate this world .. if they set her free .. anything can happen 🙂
We are a nation of fools! We have 300 million people who have no money in the bank but who will spend the money fr this kind of garbage. That is America, look what is offered on TV! From 300 channels its may be 1 or two channels which have a decent program, teh rest is murde, divorce, war or some kind of killing and then there are the reality shows which are degrading and disgusting.
Do we care?
I will. It's an intriguing story. We have seen it from the prosecution's and the media's perspective. I'd like to see what the INNOCENT Ms. Knox has to say about HER ordeal.
It was expensive to not spend her life in prison. A book deal will get her and her parents out of the hole financially.
plenty of people will buy this book.
If it's ok for god knows how many other people to write books about this case, why shouldn't Amanda Knox?
Enough media coverage on nothing, and you can write a book, too!
she deserves a lot of pain and misery. Enjoy it while you can b**tch.......
allowing the b!tch to get wealthy .. evil is in her eyes ..
Oh, NOOOOO...Not the evil EYYYYYYES......
She and Solecito are completely innocent.
She is hot, but not as hot as Casey Anthony.
Is it just me? Why do I find her eyes very hard and cold and seem to have no warmth at all. I mean we don't judge the book by its cover but this girls eyes really send chills down my spine.
That's because they are EEEEEVILLLLLL....don't be so utterly ignorant. Your reasoning leads to (hell, LED to) a witch hunt...
So Mignini was right after all in saying to the appeals court, "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." I heard it was originally a Nazi propaganda.
The truth is whether she did it or not is besides the point. They did not have proof.
And Mignini would know ALL about that...
Yes, Mignini knew all about that when he lied and lied before the first trial to turn the public against her.
I wonder if she will apologize to the black guy she framed?
Nobody seems to care, ITS ALL ABOUT AMANDA KNOX. What happened to all the money raised to help Knox and her family?
Do you mean the black guy she named during her coercive interrogation?
She has apologised more than once to him in open court.
She didn't frame anyone – the police told her he was there and since she WASN'T she didn't know that HE wasn't. The police framed the black guy, not Amanda.
She's innocent.
The only sane post in here...
Innocent as OJ...
Amanda should just thank God she is alive and free, unlike the forgotten real victim, Meredith Kercher. And isn't it just like the typical American to be so shameless in attempting to cash in on it all. The only way she could make this "deal" OK is if she personally donates at minimum a large portion of any profits from the book to the Kercher family.
God is a myth. Ms. Kercher has NOT been forgotten. And YOU are a bigot!
John Kercher has already said he wouldn't take any money from her
The line between fame and infamy is a fine one, but it does exist. Unfortunately, Americans lost the ability to distinguish between the two a long, long time ago. Be at the centre of a murder case that a morally bankrupt media reports every salacious detail of, and you have fame in America. It doesn’t matter how you got it. Doesn’t matter her innocence was questionable. She will write the book and become a millionaire. I predicted it when she was arrested. Because she is an American. And this is the way Americans do things. Shame.
Bigot.
Truth hurts, doesn't it?
I'll read this as soon as soon as I read the drivel by Ann Coulter and Palin. NEVER!!
That you can somehow draw a line from Ms. Knox to Ann Coulter and Sara Palin ONLY indicates that you don't really read anyway...