Amanda Knox Judge Comments Investigated

Police in Italy are investigating comments made by the judge who reinstated guilty verdicts on Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Italian newspapers have quoted Florence judge Alessandro Nencini as saying that Sollecito's decision not to testify weakened his defence.

He is also said to have remarked on how difficult it was to reach a verdict given the intense media interest in the case, the huge amount of evidence and the difficulty of deciding a motive for the killing of Ms Kercher.

Justice minister Annamaria Cancellieri has now asked for a "preliminary assessment" of the judge's comments.

Sollecito's defence lawyer, Luca Maori, said the judge's comments were "serious" and could form part of an appeal to Italy's highest court on last week's verdict.

"This is not a vendetta because a judge handed down a verdict other than what we expected," Mr Maori insisted.

Knox's lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, said in an emailed statement the interviews were "not appropriate" but the lawyer reserved comment on any action until the court's reasoning for the verdict is issued. This is expected within 90 days of the sentence.

Knox's defence plans to appeal the verdict. "She feels that it is a mistake and she will continue fighting for her innocence," Mr Dalla Vedova said.

Members of the magistrate's governing body also say they will request an inquiry, arguing that Judge Nencini had violated the secrecy of deliberations, anticipated arguments in the yet-published reasoning, and made comments on the defence trial strategy that suggest "partiality", state news agency Ansa reported.

Judge Nencini presided on a panel that deliberated for nearly 12 hours last Thursday before upholding a lower-court's guilty finding against Knox, 26, and Sollecito, 29, in the 2007 murder of the 21-year-old student.

The case was referred to a second appeal after Italy's highest court cancelled the 2011 acquittal.

On Friday, Knox - who now faces the prospect of a prolonged extradition battle - wept on television as she vowed to fight her latest conviction "to the very end".

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.