Amanda Knox’s sister: ‘I feel more confident’

The younger sister of an American college student standing trial with her Italian boyfriend for the murder of her roommate in Italy said that recent court testimony has left her more convinced than ever that her sister will be found not guilty of the crime.

Deanna Knox, 20, spoke to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira Monday from Perugia, Italy, where she had spent the morning in court listening to defense experts present evidence that put into dispute a prosecution claim that British student Meredith Kercher was killed with a knife from the kitchen she shared with Deanna’s sister, Amanda Knox.

“I feel much more confident after today. I’ve always known that she will be released. Today just boosted everyone’s confidence that she will be found innocent very soon,” Deanna told Vieira.

No ‘Foxy Knoxy’
Before coming to Italy from her Seattle home with her mother, Edda Mellas; her 13-year-old sister, Ashley, and Amanda’s friend, Madison Paxton, Deanna Knox had not seen her sister since December, before her trial started. Back then, she told TODAY, her sister had been nervous while waiting for the trial to begin.

Since then, the prosecution finally finished presenting its case and the defense began with Knox’s own testimony. Paxton testified as a character witness last week, describing Knox as anything but the “Foxy Knoxy” the accused has been painted as in the Italian media.

‘Now that she’s finished with her testimony, she’s less nervous about the trial.’ — Amanda Knox’s sister, Deanna

The prosecution contends that in November 2007, Amanda Knox, her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and a third man, Rudy Guede, killed Kercher in a sex game gone wrong. Guede has been convicted of sexual assault and murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Sollecito and Knox, who was 20 at the time of the murder, are being tried together on murder charges.

Amanda Knox has appeared more relaxed recently in court, smiling at her family and even playfully flexing her muscles to her sister during last Saturday’s court session.

“Now that she’s finished with her testimony, she feels confident and she’s less nervous about the trial,” Deanna told Vieira. She also explained the muscle pose that a photographer snapped: “That day was the Fourth of July, and I was showing her that I was wearing red, white and blue for the American pride. She put her arms up and it was, ‘Yes, strength,’ and she showed it to us.”

Birthday behind bars
On Thursday, Amanda Knox will celebrate her 22nd birthday — her second birthday observed in an Italian prison, where, NBC News’ Keith Miller reported, she is known not as “Foxy Knoxy” but as “Bambi.”

Amanda’s sisters and mother plan to visit her in jail on her birthday. They’re not allowed to bring wrapped presents, but they have brought clothes and CDs for her, along with a morale booster from home.

TODAY Dubbed “Foxy Knoxy” and “Angel Face” by the Italian media, Amanda Knox “feels confident” now that she has finished her testimony, her sister, Deanna Knox, said.

“I have a big stack of birthday cards from everyone that she knows that I brought in my suitcase, and will give to her in a packet in jail,” Deanna Knox told Vieira.

Character witnesses have described Amanda Knox as a serious student not given to the sort of drug abuse and sexual licentiousness the prosecution has accused her of. Similarly, witnesses for Sollecito have painted the young man as shy and introverted.

Sollecito and Amanda Knox have both said they were not in the house when Kercher’s throat was slashed. They said they watched a movie on TV at his house, smoked pot and had sex.

Potter look-alike
Deanna Knox remembered getting an e-mail from her sister after she had met Sollecito.

Slideshow   A murder in Italy The violent death of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy made headlines – and her American housemate, Amanda Knox, is found guilty of the murder. more photos

“She talked about how she met this nice Italian boy who was helping her with her Italian and showing her around Perugia, and actually said he looked a little bit like Harry Potter — a lighter-haired Harry Potter,” Deanna said.

Knox and Sollecito sit at the same defense table during the trial. Though they are not allowed to talk to each other, he has at least once given her a piece of chocolate in the courtroom.

“I think their relationship is good. I would describe it as friends,” Deanna said. “They sit at the same table in the courtroom. They can’t talk but they smile at each other, and Raffaele can wave to us.”

Vieira asked Deanna what birthday wishes she has for her sister.

“To be happy, to be confident,” the young woman replied. “We all know she’s not going to be released by Thursday, so I want her to be confident and happy.”

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