US student 'confident'on murder appeal

The American student, known as Foxy Knoxy, was found guilty of killing the 21-year-old after what prosecutors claimed was a sex game taken to the extreme.

Her Italian former lover, Raffaele Sollecito, who was also jailed last December for the murder in the Italian city of Perugia, attended court too.

The hearing dealt chiefly with technical matters and lasted only 15 minutes.

It was adjourned until December 11.

Her stepfather and friends, in court for the hearing, sounded a positive note afterwards, insisting that 23-year-old Knox's case was strong.

Chris Mellas, 36, who has moved to Italy to be close to his stepdaughter, said that now the appeal had started, "Amanda's doing wonderful" and she expected to be released.

He said: "We have an amazingly strong appeal. I've been told that by I don't know how many people here today. "Amanda thinks it's amazing.

"Since she read it, it's been like waiting for Christmas trying to get this appeal going because she feels it's so strong that she will get out.

"We're requesting that the evidence be reviewed by third party people who are not biased - people not from the prosecution or defence, people who do not have any real interest in the matter other than the interest of science."

The appeal process carries a risk for Knox: if her conviction is upheld, she could face a longer sentence.