Knox And Sollecito's Kercher Ruling Delayed

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Italy's high court has delayed its decision on Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito's appeal against their convictions for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Ms Kercher, a 21-year-old from Coulsdon, Surrey, was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in Perugia in 2007.

Her flatmate Knox, a student from Seattle in the US, and Knox's then-boyfriend Sollecito spent four years in jail for the murder but were acquitted on appeal in 2011.

Knox returned to the US before an appeal court threw out the acquittal and reinstated her and Sollecito's guilty verdicts last year.

Italy's Supreme Court is due to decide whether to uphold those convictions, which would put an end to eight years of courtroom twists and turns, or order another appeal.

The verdict - which could spark a request for Knox's extradition from the US - had initially been expected by the end of the day.

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Gallery: Meredith Kercher Murder: Key Events

2 November 2007: The body of Meredith Kercher, 21, is found in her Perugia apartment. Investigators say she was killed the night before

Ms Kercher's flatmate, Amanda Knox, is pictured kissing her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in the days after the murder

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Police investigate the scene of the crime

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6 November 2007: Knox is arrested along with Sollecito and Diya 'Patrick' Lumumba, the Congolese owner of the pub where Knox occasionally worked

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November 20, 2007: Mr Lumumba, implicated by Knox in her statements to police, is released from jail for lack of evidence.

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But court president Gennaro Marasca said a ruling would not come until Friday to allow the prosecution and defence enough time to present their arguments.

Knox, who is now 27, will not appear in court to see if her 28-year sentence is confirmed.

Sollecito, 30, has had his travel documents seized and is attending the hearing. He was sentenced to 25 years.

The Kercher family, who are not in court, have said they would like to see Knox extradited to Italy if her conviction is confirmed.

The family's lawyer Francesco Maresca said earlier this week: "The interest of the family is to arrive to the end of this trial. They want to be able to remember Meredith outside of the court room."

Ms Kercher's brother Lyle told Sky's Senior News Correspondent David Bowden he does not understand why at least one of her killers is not in jail.

He said: "I don't understand why Sollecito is not in custody at present," but speaking about Knox he added: " I understand why she doesn't want to come back."

Mr Kercher said if the Americans do not send her back to Italy to face justice it "makes a mockery" of international agreements.

"I can't see how the US wouldn't be able to co-operate" and "it will compromise US authority to extradite people from other countries in future", he said.

Knox said last year she would become a "fugitive" if convicted and would have to be taken back "kicking and screaming" to Italy.

If the court backs her conviction, Italian legal experts have said she could delay going to jail if she were pregnant.

Last month, she revealed her engagement to 27-year-old musician and school friend Colin Sutherland, who wrote to her while she was in jail.

There has also been speculation that political pressure from the US could hamper the extradition process.

Sollecito is reportedly seeking to separate his case from Knox's, with his lawyers pointing out that a partial confession written by the American and later retracted did not mention his presence at the scene of the crime.

If that argument succeeds, the Italian could be given a new trial.

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