April 28th, 2011

‘Murder Abroad: The Amanda Knox Story’ – CNN’s Drew Griffin Reports

One-hour documentary premieres Sunday, May 8, 8:00pm ET & PT

With the 2009 conviction of American exchange student Amanda Knox for the murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher now on appeal, a new CNN documentary investigates the evidence that linked Knox to the murder during her first trial, and how the case was prosecuted.  CNN investigative correspondent Drew Griffin reveals new details that cast doubts upon controversial blood, knife, DNA, and other evidence presented in Knox’s original trial.

Griffin also has a rare television interview with the chief prosecutor in the case, Giuliano Mignini, and reveals a pattern of prosecutorial behavior that raises questions about the original conviction.  CNN Presents – Murder Abroad: The Amanda Knox Story, debuts Sunday, May 8 at 8:00p.m. ET and PT on CNN/U.S.; it replays on Saturday, May 14 at 8:00p.m. ET and PT.

Griffin traveled to Perugia, Italy, where the sexual assault and stabbing death occurred, and Seattle, WA, where Knox grew up and her parents still live, to report the truth behind the international headlines.  Griffin begins with the notorious murder on Nov. 1, 2007.  He debriefs viewers on Knox’s now-disputed confession – obtained after days of unrelenting questioning, and according to Knox, even physical abuse by police interrogators.  Questions have also been raised about the security of  the crime scene and the evidence there.  Griffin takes fresh, critical looks at the separate crime theories presented by the prosecution, the defense and the judge.

A digital timeline of the events related to the Knox case, articles that examine the evidence presented in the original trial, an explanation of the complex Italian legal procedures that have circumscribed this case, and video excerpts from the documentary, will be available for viewing via www.cnn.com, beginning the week of May 1.

Todd Schwarzchild is the senior producer for Murder Abroad; Marcus Hooper is associate producerBud Bultman is managing editor and Scott Matthews is the executive producer for the CNN Special Investigations and Documentaries productions unit.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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