Controversial Amanda Knox movie airs as scheduled

Despite the requests of the lawyers and family of Amanda Knox, Lifetime aired the movie, "Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy," on Feb. 21.

The controversial film is about a former University of Washington student, Amanda Knox, who has been convicted of murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Attorneys for Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, sent letters to the Lifetime Network asked them to not air the movie.       However, they did not receive an answer, and the movie aired as scheduled.

In a statement by Knox's U.S attorney, Theodore Simon said, "The movie should not have shown while the appeal is pending, particularly where the court has decided to reopen the case…"

The families also released a statement on Tuesday that read, "The selfish, profit-making motive behind [Lifetime's] decision is sad and angers us as the inaccurate portrayals of Amanda and our families will lead many to believe that we are the way the actors have portrayed us…"

Kercher was murdered on Nov. 1, 2007 in Perugia, Italy. Knox, her ex-boyfriend and another man, Rudy Guede, were convicted of the murder in 2009.

Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison and Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years. Both deny they did anything wrong and their appeal is now under way.  

Meanwhile, reaction to the movie on the Richland campus has been mixed.

"I don't think it was a big deal that the movie was aired. If those were the true events that happened then it shouldn't matter that the family thinks it's wrong because they believe they are innocent," stated Gina Flores, a sophomore.

However, others seem to disagree. Alejandra Rodriquez, also a Richland sophomore, said, "I don't think the movie should have been aired. It may have been good entertainment, but if the case has been reopened for appeal, that means the end results could be different than what was shown in the movie. Maybe they should have waited for the new results of the case and then made a movie".

Marcia Gay Harden, who portrays Amanda's mother in the movie, stated in an interview posted on Lifetime's website that she understands that they "have a very big responsibility because Amanda's case is in appeal right now and it's important that nothing we do influences the case positively or negatively."

Harden said that she hopes that after watching the movie the viewers will be curious to do their own research and that they feel sympathy for both sides.