Amanda Knox was ordered to stand for a retrial for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher by Italy's top criminal court on Tuesday. However, there is little Italy can do to force her to return to the country for the new hearings.
Italy's final court of appeal, the Court of Cassation, has overturned the acquittals of Amanda Knox and then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. The two were acquitted of the 2007 killing of British student Meredith Kercher.
Amanda Knox responded to the overturned acquittal.
"It was painful to receive the news that the Italian Supreme Court decided to send my case back for revision when the prosecution's theory of my involvement in Meredith's murder has been repeatedly revealed to be completely unfounded and unfair."
Knox, is now 25, and lives in the Seattle area.
"I believe that any questions as to my innocence must be examined by an objective investigation and a capable prosecution," she added. "The prosecution responsible for the many discrepancies in their work must be made to answer for them, for Raffaele's sake, my sake, and most especially for the sake of Meredith's family. Our hearts go out to them."
Meredith Kercher, 21, died from stab wounds in the apartment she shared with Amanda Knox while studying aboard in Perugia, Italy.
The case garnered worldwide attention and every aspect of Knox's life was heavily scrutinized in the media.
Knox and Sollecito, who turned 29 on Tuesday, were prosecuted and found guilty of killing Kercher. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison, while Sollecito got 25, but they were acquitted after serving four years.
Small-time drug dealer Rudy Hermann Guede, who knew Knox, was convicted and given a 16-year sentence.
While the Knox family is devastated by the news of a possible retrial, Meredith's sister Stephanie Kercher, 29, told Britain's ITV News that the family welcomed the court's decision to retry Knox and Sollecito "in the sense that we hope to find the answers."
With so many unanswered questions, it comes as no surprise that the Kercher family is open to a retrial.
Francesco Maresca, a lawyer representing Kercher's family, said in a statement on Monday that the acquittals were "defective" and "lacked transparency," Reuters reports.
Italian law cannot compel Knox to return to Italy and she could be tried in absentia.
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