Briefing+Book

media type="custom" key="9491244" align="center"

SUMMARIES: ** __ Amanda Knox Murder Trial Starts in Italy __ **** Summary  ** Amanda Knox, a 21 year old college student from Seattle, who has spent more than a year in an Italian prison after having been accused of killing her female roommate, stepped into and Italian courtroom today for the start of what is likely to be a murder trail lasting several months. Meredith Kercher, also 21 years old, was a British exchange student who was found partially naked and with a slashed throat on November 2, 2007 in her bedroom of the apartment she shared with Knox and two Italian women. Raffaelo Sollecito, Knox’s former lover, is accused along with Knox of murdering and sexually assaulting Kercher in a “perverse group sex game” which they were allegedly playing with another male. Knox’s lawyer stated in Court this morning that Knox will testify and contend that she could not have committed the crime since she was not at home the night Kercher died. In-fact, Knox’s lawyer said she was with Sollecito at his house. In court, Knox and Sollectio made little eye contact and Knox appeared more upbeat while Sollecito was more reserved and at times tense. Although the courtroom has cages used to hold criminals on trail for violent crimes, these cages today were occupied by journalists covering the trial while Knox and Sollecito were permitted to sit with their lawyers. Knox’s family has voiced support and remains hopeful that Amanda will be released. The fourth person in the alleged sex game, Rudy Guede, had requested a fast-track hearing and was sentenced to thirty years in jail for Kercher’s murder and sexual assault. Guede had admitted he had been at the scene of the crime but had not killed Kercher, his lawyers plan to appeal. 

 ** __ Silvio Berlusconi Investigated for Sex with 17-Year-Old Prostitute __ **** Summary  ** Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is being investigated on allegations of having sex with a 17 year old prostitute and then covering up his involvement. Prosecutors will ask for a fast-track trial and have requested that the 74 year old Berlusconi appear before them later this month. The billionaire business man has evaded previous accusations of sexual and financial misconduct and is now accused of paying “Ruby the Heart Stealer” to participate in sex parties last year at his Milan villa. The investigation is also aimed at whether Berlusconi acted to cover up the fact that he had been Ruby’s client and that she was only 17 years old. Berlusconi is said to have told police that Ruby was Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s niece. Berlusconi’s lawyers said that the charges are media-driven and “have already been refuted by all witness’ and people directly involved.” Ruby has told prosecutors that Berlusconi gave her more than 1,300 dollars in cash and jewelry and had invited her to too sex parties. Ruby has said that she lied about her age and never had sex with Berlusconi. In Italy a conviction of paying a minor for sex results in a sentence of up to 3 years in prison while a conviction for the charge of covering up his involvement could result in up to 12 years of imprisonment. In Italy, paying for sex with a minor between the ages of 14 and 17 is unlawful although the age of consent is 14. =__This Stinks: Italy Sends Troops to Handle Trash Crisis __Summary = = = = Today, May 9, 2011, the Italian Army arrived in Naples with about 170 troops to deal with the 2,000 tons of uncollected garbage. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who ordered the troops “to return Naples to being a civilized city”, has been accused by his critics for using the trash crisis for political gains. This is the second time that Italian troops have been called in since 2008 to remedy a trash crisis. = = The blame for Naples’ trash crises has been attributed to corrupt politicians, self-interested business men, and incompetent administrators. Naples has a large urban center and because it is relatively affluent it is the largest producer of garbage in the world per square meter. The infrastructure to handle the waste doesn’t exist as the city and surrounding areas have just one incinerator running and Berlusconi’s critics say it is running at only thirty percent capacity. Naples and other cites hold mayoral elections next week and Berlusconi, a conservative, hopes to win control of Naples which had long been controlled by center-left mayors. =  =__Mona Lisa Crypt ‘Found’ __ Summary = After searching an abandoned convent for two weeks, experts discovered a crypt using ground penetrating radar along with ancient maps and documents to uncover a crypt which is thought to be the final resting place of the woman who is said to have posed for da Vinci’s Mona Lisa painting. The crypt was found in the St Ursula convent in Florence after a foot of modern concrete was excavated to reveal a layer of ancient, thirty-five inch wide bricks. Two crypts have been located and the older is believed to be the crypt of Lisa Gherardini Del Giocondo who is widely believed to be the mystery woman in 500 year old painting. There is still several more days of work before the team actually reaches the tomb to open and recover the bones. An Italian princess ancestor of Gherardini was present at the dig and she initially opposed the effort saying that Gherardini should be allowed to “rest in peace.” However, after meeting with Professor Vinceti and his team, she is now fascinated by and supportive of the excavation effort. Gerardini died in 1542 as the wife of a rich silk merchant. Professor Vinceti’s goal is to find Mona Lisa’s remains, compare her DNA with that of her two children buried in a Florence church and then reconstruct her face and compared the reconstruction to da Vinci’s portrait.  ** __ ‘Jersey Shore’ Heads to Italy For Fourth Season __ **** Summary  ** MTV has announced that Jersey Shore has been renewed for a fourth season but that the cast will be moving their show all the way to Italy with production set to begin in spring 2011. The first Italy-based “shore” will premier “later this year”. Jersey Shore’s constantly evolving dynamic is what has kept viewer coming back each season. Europe will present a fresh spin on the show that, according to MTV’s Chris Linn “continues to reach new heights for us.” The casts’ going to the birth place of the culture that they love and live by will probably cause an eruption like Mount Vesuvius, predicted Linn. Earlier this month, Jersey Shore was MTV’s most-watched series telecast ever, garnering 8.9 million viewers. The current season of Jersey Shore features a whole lot of JWOWW-related drama along with Snooki cooling her backside in a mini-fridge. Jersey Shore airs Thrusday nights at 10PM EST on MTV.