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Freedom Knox?

Amanda Knox arrives at the courthouse for the appeal trial in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Sept. 23, 2011. Prosecutors began closing arguments in a bid to uphold the murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox in the 2007 slaying of her roommate, with Knox's family hopeful that a review of DNA evidence during the long appeals trial will lead to her release. A verdict is expected in early October, after the defense, the victim's family and probably Knox herself make their case. (AP/Stefano Medici)
Amanda Knox arrives at the courthouse for the appeal trial in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Sept. 23, 2011. Prosecutors began closing arguments in a bid to uphold the murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox in the 2007 slaying of her roommate, with Knox's family hopeful that a review of DNA evidence during the long appeals trial will lead to her release. A verdict is expected in early October, after the defense, the victim's family and probably Knox herself make their case. (AP/Stefano Medici)

 The Amanda Knox appeals trial will soon yield its verdict: will her conviction be overturned, allowing her to come home to Seattle? When I was a woman of 20, I spent a year in Florence, Italy, as a college student.  Our class of American students, 92 of us, traveled, studied, experimented, took risks and immersed ourselves in Italian culture – a culture we did not always understand.  Many students drank way too much for their own safety. Some students easily hitchhiked, dated and traveled with casual or instant acquaintances.  We had no clue of any danger to us. After all, we knew what we were doing. When I recently viewed a lovely photo collage of our year there, my first reaction was: “We were so young and innocent!”

Amanda Knox is no different from the 92 Florentine students.  What happened to Amanda could easily have happened to one of our students. Amanda innocently traveled to a lovely country to learn its language and its customs. Unfortunately, the biggest part of her education has been to learn about its (unjust) justice system.

My prayers and hope are for her release and her return home.

(AP photo)

Spokesman-Review features writer Rebecca Nappi, along with writer Catherine Johnston of Olympia, Wash., discuss here issues facing aging boomers, seniors and those experiencing serious illness, dying, death and other forms of loss.