Beaming Amanda Knox lands in London on way home with her family after Italian court quashes her conviction for murder

• Family spotted at Heathrow changing planes for flight to Seattle
• Public prosecutor announces plan to appeal verdict to Italy's highest court
• American student holds 'no bitterness' and thanks Italians 'who shared suffering and helped me survive with hope'
• 'Back to square one': Kercher family still in shock at press conference

By Nick Pisa, David Jones and Paul Bentley

Last updated at 8:57 PM on 4th October 2011

Homeward bound: Amanda Knox, dressed in a vest top and light cardigan, arrives in London to make a connecting flight to Seattle

Amanda Knox was today making the long flight home to the U.S. after being dramatically cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
The 24-year-old was seen at Heathrow Airport with her delighted family making a connecting flight to Seattle, where the celebrations at her new-found freedom can properly begin.
Knox flew out of Rome this morning just before midday local time.
She had been quite anxious as she was taken to the airport police station to sign various forms - even calling her lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova to check everything was fine for her to go through immigration and board the British Airways flight.
The American tried her best to stay out of view as she arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, but when the time arrived for her to board the flight she walked happily to the gate, with a broad smile on her face.
Today Mr Dalla Vedova said: 'I spoke with her briefly. She was a bit worried about going through immigration and although her passport was valid she was still a little anxious as she was held in the airport police station for paperwork procedures.
'She was calm, serene and looking forward to going home and just spending time with her friends and family. She wants to get on with her life.
'She is a clever and intelligent girl who has been through a lot - one day in prison is bad enough but four years is even worse.'

Free and easy: Amanda Knox and her family place their bags in a transit van as they land in London to make a connecting flight to the U.S.

Freed: Amanda Knox smiles at other passengers at Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Fiumicino this morning before boarding a flight to Seattle via London

Going home: Looking pale, Knox smiles as she is escorted down an escalator at the airport

CONFUSION AT JUDGE'S FIRST GUILTY VERDICT

Confusion over the judge's announcement meant Sky News and several news websites, including Mail Online, briefly reported incorrectly that Knox had been found guilty.
This was corrected just over a minute later when it became apparent that he had said she was guilty of slander before going on to say both Knox and Sollecito were innocent of Meredith's murder.
We apologise for the error and have launched an enquiry to examine our procedures.
It is common practice among newspapers to prepare two versions of an article ahead of a court verdict and these are known as 'set and hold' pieces.
We would like to make it clear that Nick Pisa had no involvement in the decision to publish his set and hold piece on MailOnline.
The quotes were obtained from various parties in the event of either a guilty or not guilty verdict.
Knox was sentenced to three years for the slander, but she will not have to serve the time as she has been in jail since November 6, 2007.  She was, however, ordered to pay £18,900 in compensation to Mr Lumumba.
Congolese-born Mr Lumumba was dragged from his bed by armed police in a dawn raid in front of his wife and son after Knox told police he had killed Meredith.
The 38-year-old spent two weeks on remand in jail before being released without charge. He claimed the arrest 'ruined' his life.
Police arrested Knox, Lumumba and Sollecito after she placed herself at the crime scene, saying she was in the kitchen of the flat while Lumumba – the owner of the bar Le Chic where she worked – killed Meredith in the latter's bedroom. Knox later withdrew this statement, saying she spent the night of the murder at her boyfriend's flat.
Mr Lumumba was cleared after witnesses proved he had been working at the bar on the night of the killing.
Knox later claimed she accused Mr Lumumba after his name was 'suggested' to her by police during questioning. Police say they simply asked her about a text message from him on her phone. Under Italian law, Mr Lumumba was entitled to sue Knox because her accusation landed him in jail.

Knox was dressed casually for the long flight in black leggings, grey cardigan and a dark vest top and she was pulling her own large black suitcase as she left the airport police office to join her parents.
Before boarding the plane she gave a last, emotional hug to an unidentified man.

More...

• Under-fire Italian prosecutor to appeal against Amanda Knox acquittal as criticism mounts of his handling of the case
• 'It's back to square one': Family of Meredith Kercher says search for truth behind her killing goes on but they accept court decision
• What now for Foxy? Dreams of being a mother, Hollywood millions and a new life as a professional martyr to injustice
• The most lucrative deal in TV history? As Amanda Knox is released from jail, networks hoping for the first interview
• Cheers heard across the Atlantic: Amanda Knox supporters in her hometown of Seattle burst into applause as she is released
• RIGHTMINDS: As Amanda Knox walks free, now DNA evidence is on trial
• RIGHTMINDS: What is it about Amanda Knox that so chills the blood?

Shortly after Knox's plane took off, Italian public prosecutor Giuliano Mignini announced his intention to take her case to a third and final appeal and described the decision to free her as a 'massive mistake'.
Appeals judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman will write a report within the next 90 days on why he and the jury came to their decision. This will be poured over by prosecutors to see on what grounds they can launch their appeal - which is unlikely to be heard until next year.
The panel of judges in Rome will then look at paperwork from the case and decide if there were any mistakes in the application of the law and if the case should be reopened - and if it is it will be heard in Florence.
However Knox is not obliged to attend any potential retrial and even though Italy could in theory ask for her extradition it is thought unlikely that the U.S. would hand her over.
Meanwhile Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's former boyfriend who was jailed with her and also freed yesterday, arrived back home near the southern Italian city of Bari.
He was quoted by Italian news agencies as saying he was looking forward to seeing the sea, but he declined to make any appearances after reaching home.
His father Francesco said his son remained stunned by the events.
'He is trying to recover himself,' he said.
'He is going around touching things as if he is a child who needs to take back the things of his life, to acquire forgotten elements.'
Corrado Maria Daclon, the secretary general of the Italy-USA Foundation, which has supported Knox throughout her appeal, was one of those who saw her last night as she spent the night in 'safe accommodation' in Rome after being driven there from Capanne prison, in Perugia, after the verdict.
He said: 'Amanda is really very exhausted after spending four years in prison. We hugged each other warmly as she was let out.
'She also asked me to thank the Italian public who have supported her publicly throughout her ordeal.
'She said she could not have coped with being unjustly jailed for four years if it had not been for their support - they gave her strength and always said they believed in her innocence.
'I have remained silent throughout this affair but now someone needs to shoulder the responsibility for what happened.'
He added: 'This has been one of the most serious errors of justice that we have had in our country and we have had many.'

Amanda Knox's family home in Seattle, where a giant 'Welcome Home' banner hangs by the front door awaiting her return (see picture below)

 

Flight: Knox hugs a man as she carries her hand luggage through the airport

Check in: The 24-year-old talks to a BA staff member as she prepares to put baggage on to the flight

Security: Wearing a grey cardigan and black leggings, Knox walks through the shopping area as she heads for her gate

FIRST WORDS OF FREEDOM

Amanda Knox sent a letter of thanks to the Secretary General of the Italy-USA  Foundation, Corrado Maria Daclon.
She wrote: 'To hold my hand and offer the support and respect through the barriers and controversies of the Italians, there was the Italy-USA Foundation, and many who have shared my pain and helped me to survive on hope. I am forever grateful for their caring hospitality and their courageous efforts. Those who wrote to me, who defended me, who stayed close to me, who prayed for me. We are forever grateful. I love you. Amanda.'

Before leaving the country Knox thanked those Italians 'who shared my suffering and helped me survive with hope', in a letter to the foundation.
She wrote: 'Those who wrote to me, those who defended me, those who stayed close to me, those who prayed for me. I love you.'
Corrado Maria Daclon said: 'Despite everything she has gone through in the last few years and all the attacks against her right up until the final stages of the appeal, where a conviction was sought with no evidence - she told me she feels no bitterness.
'Her words have always been positive, she is tired but full of hope. Only a few days ago in jail she told me that she felt pain for those who responded to hate with hatred because she feels this makes people barbarians.
'She is certainly very drained but even after all this time she does not have any resentment or animosity. 
'She is a simple girl, always ready to help with great humanity and sensibility, very different to how she has been described.'

Amanda Knox's father Curt, second from left, and other members of the family check in at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport this morning. Amanda is believed to have checked-in privately

Amanda's mother Edda and her step-father Chris Mellas also checked in at Fiumicino Airport this morning

Support: Amanda's sister Deanna, right, grab their bags as they check in at the airport

Knox is looking at a lucrative future with million-dollar TV and book deal offers.
The American has served four years of a 26-year prison sentence after being found guilty in 2009 of the brutal sex murder of Meredith, 21, who was found semi naked with her throat cut in her bedroom of the house she shared in Perugia, Italy.
But Meredith's family remained stunned by the verdict and searching for answers.
Her brother Lyle, speaking at a press conference, said the family was still trying to understand how a decision that 'was so certain two years ago has been so emphatically overturned'.
Meredith, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was in Perugia as part of her Leeds University course and had only been in Italy for two months before she was killed in November 2007.
Last night, there had been screams in court as the verdict was delivered.
Knox burst into tears and hugged her parents Curt and Edda Mellas - as just feet away the family of Meredith could only look on in amazement.
One of her lawyers, Maria Del Grosso, said: 'As you could see from the images, Amanda was a nervous wreck who just collapsed. She wasn't able to say anything other than "thank you" in a flood of tears.'

Homeward bound: The British Airways flight carrying Amanda Knox and her family leaves Fiumicino Airport in Rome en route to Seattle via London Heathrow

(From left) Meredith Kercher's mother Arline, brother Lyle and sister Stephanie Kercher give a press conference this morning. Lyle said it was 'back to square one' in the search to find out what 'truly happened' following the dramatic acquittal last night of Knox and Sollecito

Free: Knox leaves Perugia's court in a car after hearing the verdict which overturned her murder conviction

Knox’s sister Deanna, 22, stood triumphant amid the crowd and added: 'We are thankful that the nightmare is over. She suffered for four years for a crime she did not commit.'
She also thanked the thousands who had supported Knox’s freedom campaign on websites and blogs, waging a vicious war of words with those who believe her guilty.
A near riot erupted on the streets outside the courthouse in Perugia.
Knox's victorious defence team were surrounded by the mob who yelled: 'Shame! Assassins! Justice has been sold down the river!'
Hundreds had gathered to await the verdict, the majority convinced she and Sollecito were guilty.
Referring to reports that Knox would be whisked to America by a TV network offering $1million for her story, they shouted: 'Jump on your private plane and go home!'

Cleared: Knox bursts into tears after she was sensationally cleared of the murder of Meredith Kercher

Life-changing: Knox has already served four years in prison for the student's murder

Disbelief: Knox weeps following the verdict that overturns her conviction and acquits her of murdering her British room mate Meredith Kercher

Victim: Meredith, 21, was found semi-naked with her throat slashed in a bedroom in the house she shared with Knox and two other women

It was an extraordinary climax to a case that has bitterly divided opinion from the outset – some compared yesterday’s ugly scenes to those seen during the witch trials in Perugia in medieval times.
At her original trial in December 2009, Knox and computer studies graduate Sollecito were found guilty of murder and sentenced to 26 and 25 years respectively.
Amid the chaos in court Knox was actually found guilty of slandering bar owner Diya 'Patrick' Lumumba who she accused of carrying out the killing.
She was sentenced to three years in jail - but as she had already served four years she was freed immediately.
In Seattle, about a dozen Knox supporters were overjoyed that she has been cleared of the murder conviction.
'She's free!' and 'We did it!' they shouted at a hotel where they watched the court proceedings on TV.
At the first trial two years ago Knox and Sollecito had been convicted after the court heard they had carried out the crime with the aid of a third man, Ivory Coast drifter Rudy Guede, 24.
The appeal however overturned this and ruled that he carried out on his own but key to the verdict was an independent court ordered report into hotly disputed DNA evidence.
Two forensic professors from Rome’s La Sapienza University Carla Vecchiotti and Stefano Conti had poured scorn on the original police forensic investigation of the crime scene producing a damning conclusion of techniques and methods used.
Key to the case was a 12in kitchen knife retrieved in Sollecito’s flat. The original trial heard that DNA from Meredith was found on the blade and that of Knox on the handle.
Prosecutors confusingly said it was 'not incompatible' with the murder weapon – which has never been found – while defence teams argued it was too big to have caused the wounds on Meredith’s throat.

Led away: Raffaele Sollecito smiles as he is taken from the court by Italian police officers following the verdict

Overcome: Knox's mother Edda Mellas was clearly emotional after the verdict

Relieved: Italian lawyer Maria Del Grosso, left, and Amanda Knox's sister Deanna Knox moments after the verdict at Perugia's Court of Appeal

In addition the report also said that no blood was found on it and the DNA of Meredith was so low is should be ruled inadmissible – in fact there was such a small amount it could not even be retested.
They were also critical of results reached from tests on a clasp from Meredith’ s bloodied bra which was not collected from the murder scene and analysed until 46 days after Meredith was killed.
To highlight the farcical way police carried out the investigation the experts showed footage of the way the forensic officers collected the evidence and there was gasps of amazement as more than 50 errors were pointed out.
The team was seen picking up the clasp with dirty gloves – instead of tweezers – and then placing it in a plastic bag when the recognized international procedure is a paper one.
They were then seen handing it to each other from glove to glove, placing it back on the floor in a different place from where it was found and then picking it up again.
Professors Conti and Vecchiotti said that this also made it highly likely that it had been contaminated and then they also revealed how they had been unable to retest the clasp because it had rotted away after being wrongly kept in the forensic lab in Rome.

Crowded: Hundreds of people gathered outside the court room with some chanting 'shame on you' at the Italian lawyers

Crime scene: Two forensic professors from Rome's La Sapienza University Carla Vecchiotti and Stefano Conti had poured scorn on the original police forensic investigation of the crime scene producing a damning conclusion of techniques and methods used

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