A new comedy show by Amanda Knox, who was convicted but later acquitted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Italy, has sparked outrage and criticism from Kercher’s family and many others. The show, called ‘Cartwheel,’ is set to open at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has been described as ‘hurtful’ and ‘in poor taste’ by Kercher’s sister, Stephanie.
Background
Knox, who shared an apartment with Kercher in 2007, was convicted of her murder along with her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in 2009. However, she was later acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015. A third person, Rudy Guede, was also convicted of Kercher’s murder and served 13 years in prison before being released in 2021.
Knox’s comedy show has been criticized for making light of the tragedy and for profiting from it. Many have signed an online petition calling for the show to be canceled, with over 9,500 signatures as of Friday. The petition states that ‘tragedy should not be trivialized in the name of entertainment’ and calls for respect for Kercher’s family and memory.
Response from the Venue
The venue hosting the show, Gilded Balloon, has stated that it provides a platform for a wide range of voices and that artists are responsible for their own content. Knox has defended her show, stating that it is meant to ‘honor’ Kercher’s memory and to call out the violence that was done to her.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
