The retrial for the Meredith Kercher murder has been holding the attention of the public as much as the first trial. For now, reports claim that a verdict is expected by January. However, considering the emerging details, expecting a verdict within months may prove to be a stretch.

One obvious difference with the retrial is that one suspect is not present this time. Amanda Knox’s absence from the courts, at her choosing, was best surmised when she spoke with the Today Show. “I was already imprisoned as an innocent person in Italy, and I can’t reconcile the choice to go back with that experience,” she said.

Some still question Knox’s innocence, in part, due to swirling rumors of a knife that may contain DNA from both Knox and Kercher. According to Gazetta del Sud, police have just testified that the knife has traces of Knox’s DNA, but not that of Kercher.

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Carlo Dalla Vedova, Knox’s attorney, said, “The report confirms that this is a kitchen knife. It is not a murder weapon.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyhE7cjFkGU

Meanwhile Knox’s former boyfriend, 29-year-old Raffaele Sollecito, continues to protest his innocence, and recently told the Italian courts, “I have been described as a ruthless killer but I am nothing of the sort.”

He spoke about the young, idealistic love he experienced with Knox. “Amanda was my first love. Amanda was carefree. She and I wanted to be isolated in our nest of desire in a little fairy tale,” he said.

The paradox between this idealistic love and the heinous crime, from which both Knox and Sollecito have been accused, has not been lost on Sollecito. “We were thinking of anything but the distorted, scornful vision of humanity of which we are being accused,” he said.

Regardless of the outcome during this trial, returning to normalcy for Knox and Sollecito does not seem to be a guarantee. Giulia Bongiorno, Sollecito’s lawyer, explained, “He cannot live normally in Italy because he is chased around by the media.”

As the retrial continues unfolding, many may be wondering if this case will one day be officially closed.

Why is perjury and withholding evidence acceptable in an effort to falsely convict #AmandaKnox & #RaffaeleSollecito? http://t.co/H9IRd5XQ8V

— Noël (@Noel_0409) November 6, 2013

#AmandaKnox and #RaffaeleSollecito had neither motive, means, nor opportunity. Murderer is Rudy Guede. Small time burglar, big time loser.

— Perugia Murder File (@PerugiaMurderFi) November 7, 2013

[Images Via YouTube (1) (2)]