11/28/09

A.ma.nda Kn.ox (totally off topic!)

You know the girl. She's standing trial in Italy for allegedly killing her roommate. I've been mildly aware of the story and, frankly, the facts against her seem weak - at best. Given what I know, I couldn't vote to convict. She may have actually done it but, again, I don't think the evidence supports that sufficiently for me.

But I'll say this: if she gets convicted, I'm going to give her a big fat idiot award and I'll tell you why. She isn't a toothless teenage tranny from the bus depot with a meth addiction. She's a pretty educated girl with intelligent, supportive parents and a relatively privileged life and yet she has the moronic audacity to nearly always have a SMILE plastered on her face in court.

Seriously! WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Even if I knew I was completely innocent of a crime. Even if my alibi was having dined with the U.S. president. Even if the only DNA found at the crime belonged to someone in custody who'd just confessed to having been the sole perpetrator. EVEN THEN, I would NOT have a smile on my face. EVER!

Holy shit! Someone in that little girl's inner circle needs to stop coddling her and inform her that innocent people can and do go to jail based on perceptions and that that stupid ass grin on her face ain't doin' anything good for her cause.

Mind you, A.ma.nda's less than rational behavior goes back. When she was brought into the police station to be questioned just after the murder, her behavior was reported as "inappropriate." She'd sit on her boyfriend's lap exchanging kisses and passed the time doing cartwheels and splits. I suppose in the context of all that, the perpetual smile on her face seems very much in character. Makes you wonder if that isn't, in fact, a tell. A sociopath may struggle to project the image of a psychologically balanced individual as he/she has no innate understanding of what that would be. Usually, the brutal murder of your roommate would elicit...umm...I dunno, maybe sadness, tremors, weepiness - even a state of catatonia. Maybe the beauty here is that she actually did do it and her detached behavior post murder was just as it would have to be in order to murder.

I feel terrible for her parents who, by contrast, look ravaged in every single interview and every shot. They've bankrupt themselves to fund her defense, alternate the international travel between them so someone is always in Italy and age decades with each passing week while their daughter flashes her pearly whites looking as though she hasn't a care in the world.

What's up with that? Somebody tell me!

8 comments:

onwardandsideways said...

I've followed the story a fair amount. Had not heard about the cartwheels, etc., but it confirms my theory about her: she's a typical naive American with some very typical misunderstandings about how Americans are perceived abroad. I detect a bit of good ol' American arrogance in that smile/behavior as well. It's her way of giving them all a big 'F YOU'. Having lived abroad, I understand her desire to tell them to take a flying you-know-what. But I think her age prevents her from seeing the flaws in that strategy.

From what I've seen of the family, they don't strike me as particularly Euro-savvy folks, either. So no surprise that they are probably supporting her behavior.

I can only imagine what kind of hell she has been through. I am quite sure that she has endured more than a little taunting and frankly, abuse, from her 'custodians.' This can be hard for Americans to understand. Other countries, Italy in particular, do not operate with the same standards of fairness that we do (not that we're all that fair, either.) The Italian justice system is a farce and I think she (and her family) have no idea just how much danger she is in. I am 100% certain she will be convicted, although I think she'll probably get out in a few years.

I don't believe for a second that she or the boyfriend were involved. I think it's pretty clear that the Italians are making a spectacle of her because 1/Italians love this kind of public spectacle and 2/they REALLY love that this particular spectacle centers around an American. All kinds of baggage there, just waiting to be unleashed. And man, is she getting it.

It's really a shame, but her story is a great, albeit somewhat extreme, example of the walls that Americans run up against when they attempt to live in other cultures. I've seen it with my own eyes, and from what I can tell, Amanda has the same attitude: 'I'm an American, I don't have to follow your rules', etc. I think she has no idea not only how little that matters over there, but how much it infuriates them and makes her even more susceptible to unfair treatment.

It's a sad story. We'll be reading/watching the book/movie within 10 years, I predict. Maybe sooner.

Sky said...

Onwards, I'm really just aghast that her behavior is what it is. It would be equally bizarre right here in the U.S. and I'm not sure a smile/smirk on a murder defendant's face is received well in any country - and could malign you in the eyes of the judge/jury.

Why would anyone want to do that - innocent or guilty?

Lorraine said...

Onward said exactly what I was thinking - somebody is already negotiating for the rights to this story. At least it will be interesting for the actress cast to play the smiling, cartwheeling suspect?

Lost in Space said...

I haven't been following too closely to see her creepily smiling all the time. How odd!

I am just getting all caught up, Sky, and am so jealous that you got to spend time with 1 of my most favoritest people (Me). I've been able to meet her too and totally adore that girl! She is wicked smart, huh? (-;

I am so not jealous of your laminaria sticks ordeal. Just reading it made me cringe and for your sake I am glad it is over. It sounds like you are well on your way to a January transfer now. Maybe you will be there with Me once again.

Sky said...

Lost in Space - "wicked smart" is spot-on accurate! :)

Sue said...

Yeah, I don't get it. My thoughts were that she is an innocent, somewhat spoiled, not-too-inately-intelligent American. She just seems unable to process what is happening to her. I saw an interview a few weeks ago with a friend of hers who went to Italy to be a witness for her and that poor girl looked more disturbed than Amanda herself. I'm just kind of confused about the whole thing...but I defintely haven't seen enough to convict (if she were in an American court...) but who knows?

lastchanceivf said...

Heya
Thanks for all your support, it really does mean so much. Sorry I've been semi-absent in the commenting lately. I'm hopeful everything is going exactly as planned.
And I haven't followed this story lately, but she sounds like a loon to me.

Kami said...

I haven't followed the story much, just enough to think the facts are slim but didn't know about her behavior. Maybe she is innocent and still has some emotional issues.