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Amanda Knox Decision; Chemical Plant Fire Rages in Texas; Amanda Knox Guilty of Defamation; Amanda Knox to be Freed

Aired October 03, 2011 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now, here we are, at the top of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

A dramatic decision minutes away in Perugia, Italy, also, a high- profile trip to Middle East, bank outrage hangover, and snow in October?

Let's play reporter roulette here.

And, Paula Newton, I do want to begin with you.

As we mentioned, we are just about a half-an-hour away from that decision being read in that Perugia courtroom. Can you just do me a favor? Set the scene. Tell me who you have seen.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Could I possibly express to you how tense it is right now?

Just a little while ago, Amanda Knox left the prison where I am right now and is in the middle of a packed courtroom waiting to hear what will become the rest of her life. She earlier had made this emotional plea to say, look, I am innocent, I did not murder, I did not rape, I did not steal. I was not even there.

I spoke to an Italian parliamentarian who visited with her in this prison today, said she was serene, calm, was singing religious songs. But most important, Brooke, she said that she felt within hours she would be out of this prison and on a plane back home to Seattle -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: And just to confirm because we have these two judges, these six laypeople, these jurors, all together, that's eight. If the decision is split, it ultimately then goes to who, goes to the defense to break the tie?

NEWTON: There cannot be a split decision. If you know they're coming back now, we expect the verdict within minutes here, that means that it will be a majority decision.

BALDWIN: I see.

NEWTON: That means they will never tell anyone how much of a majority. That's all that's needed. And there's no unanimous verdict. If they're saying they're coming back with a verdict, most likely it would be very rare in Italian legal history for this to happen, they have a ruling in hand on this appeal.

BALDWIN: Wow. Paula Newton, we will be checking in with you in a matter of minutes for that breaking news. Thank you so much from Italy.

Next on reporter roulette though Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had some pretty strong words regarding Israel's increasing isolation in the region.

Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon with details -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, Leon Panetta is on the road traveling to Israel, Egypt, but today in Israel meeting with leaders and Palestinian Authority leaders. Not that typical to hear a U.S. defense chief wade right into the Middle East peace process, but Leon Panetta did it with some very interesting words for Israel. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON PANETTA, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It's pretty clear that at this dramatic time in the Middle East when there have been so many changes that it is not a good situation for Israel to become increasingly isolated. And that's what's happening. And I think for the security of that region, it's really important that we do everything possible to try to help them reestablish relations with countries like Turkey and with Egypt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Israel isolated. That's what the U.S. defense secretary says. We will see if the Israelis feel the same way after this series of meetings with Panetta and some very delicate diplomacy ahead.

The U.S. is sticking to its position. It wants Israel and the Palestinians to talk peace. It wants them to negotiate through that quartet, the U.S., Russia, the U.N. and the European Union. The U.S. position is there's a way ahead and everybody needs to join up -- Brooke.

Barbara Starr at the Pentagon -- Barbara, thank you.

By the way, CNN's Erin Burnett interviewed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for her new show. "OUTFRONT" is the name. It debuts tonight 7:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(WEATHER UPDATE)

BALDWIN: Speaking, though, of pictures, I know you have been watching black smoke, that warehouse, that big chemical plant fire. Let's go next to that. We're keeping a close eye, black smoke billowing from this chemical plant in Texas. This thing has been going on a little over a couple of hours from now at the Magnablend facility. This is Waxahachie, about 30 miles south of Dallas. We will get you updates on this, new details from those stunning, stunning pictures.

Plus, we are waiting for the decision in the Amanda Knox murder conviction, live pictures in and out of the courtroom. We will bring it to you live here on CNN as soon as it comes in. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

(NEWS BREAK)

BALDWIN: And I want to take you back to that massive warehouse fire that we're keeping a close eye on here in Waxahachie, Texas. The roads,, rails around the area virtually empty.

We mentioned the school, this elementary school and college in the area have been evacuated as the smoke continues, thick black smoke billowing high above.

Dave Bary is with the Dallas Environmental Protection Agency. And Dave is joining me on the phone.

And, Dave, if you can, because clearly this thing is still burning multiple hours into this, can you just tell me what it is that's so highly flammable inside these warehouses?

DAVE BARY, DALLAS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: Well, there's a number of chemicals that the facility has as a part of its inventory, though the largest chemical in terms of volume is anhydrous ammonia.

When the Environmental Protection Agency was made aware of the fire late this morning, a decision was made to support local emergency responders by sending a federal on-scene coordinator, as well as contracting staff with air monitoring equipment to the scene of the fire.

That team arrived about 90 minutes ago and are in the process of setting up their equipment at strategic locations around the fire, so that, in time, we can provide some real-time air quality data to local officials to support them in their decision-making efforts.

BALDWIN: Now, Dave, let me jump in. I don't know how long you have been at the EPA, but I have never seen a warehouse chemical fire of this magnitude. Have you?

BARY: I have not actually seen the fire in person because I'm not there.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Have you seen the pictures? You got a TV nearby?

BARY: I have seen some video, but I have nothing to compare it to. The agency has responded to a number of chemical warehouse fires in the region over the years...

BALDWIN: Yes.

BARY: ... but I cannot compare this to others because I don't have a reference by which I can do that.

BALDWIN: So, let me ask. If you live, I don't know, in the area, perhaps even miles away, and I know there was an elementary school, there was a college, and you start inhaling this stuff, what happens?

BARY: We would advise any residents in the area that have concerns about the smoke or their proximity to it to confer with local officials and listen to the instructions given by local emergency responders and follow those instructions.

BALDWIN: I know you're not sitting in front of a TV, but I'm just sort of looking at some of the pictures we're getting in from our affiliate out of Dallas.

And it looks like there was a piece of a bit of sludge or water. It just made me think to ask, how do you keep this from contaminating the soil, the grass, spreading into the groundwater? How do you contain this thing?

BARY: One of the efforts, in addition to air quality monitoring, is to monitor the quality of water runoff, the suppression water, that's used to fight the fire.

In time, samples will be taken to determine if there's any contamination of soils or nearby streams that may have received some of this runoff. So, in addition to air quality, water quality is also a concern that the Environmental Protection Agency takes seriously.

BALDWIN: Dave Bary, thank you for calling in. We will keep an eye on this story. And we also obviously want to know what started it. We don't know that yet either. Thank you so much.

Coming up: Amanda Knox waiting as her final appeal for freedom is declined (sic). Will she be flying home soon or spending many more years behind bars? We are going to go live to Perugia, a very, very tense scene, as was described by our correspondent on the ground. We will bring you that decision live.

Also, this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRAIG CRAWFORD, COLUMNIST, CQPOLITICS.COM: And another thing about Christie, we have got to say it, I mean, his weight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Is Governor Chris Christie too fat to be president? Everyone seems to be weighing in on this, even though he's not even in the race yet. But a battle of the bulge may not actually be his biggest problem. We will explain next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: All right, let's pop back up those live pictures there outside the courtroom there in Perugia, Italy, as we're literally minutes away from ultimately hearing the fate, the decision to be read by the jury and these two judges in this case, this appeal process with regard to Amanda Knox, 24 years of age. American college student was abroad four years ago when everything sort of began.

The Kerchers, the Kercher family, Meredith Kercher, the young woman from London who was violently sexually assaulted and murdered, and it is her murder for which Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, in addition to one other man, have been convicted in her murder.

I want to bring in senior legal analyst Jeff Toobin.

And, Jeff, from what I understand, we know that this jury and these judges are not split. That is why we know they're coming out to read this decision. But this thing could go one of multiple ways, right? This isn't just a matter of either she walks free or she's in prison for life.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: No.

I mean, this just underlines that we are dealing with a completely different legal system than the one many of us are familiar with. First of all, there's a jury. There are no juries in American appeals. Appeals in the United States are done entirely to judges.

Also, the options as you point out are very different. The sentence of 25 years could be affirmed. It could be increased. It could be reduced or it could be eliminated altogether and Amanda Knox could go free. Those kind of variations, again, are not at the discretion of a jury, are not usually part of an appeal in an American courtroom. But Italy has its own rules.

BALDWIN: Jeff Toobin, stick around. We have just learned that that decision will be read in 25 minutes from now. So we will be talking to our correspondents there on the ground, Jeff Toobin as well. I will also be joined by Isha Sesay from CNN International. So we have got this covered on all angles.

But I do want to move along for now.

Presidential politics. Let's talk about the apparent decline of one candidate's appeal and the corresponding rise of another's, a man who by the way isn't even a candidate at all yet. Two governors, two Republicans, Rick Perry and Chris Christie, the former ha stumbled a bit recently through his public statements and now this new controversy involving some leased property in Texas.

Christie is a party favorite, except for one minor thing. He still maintains -- he's not saying if he's going to run or not.

Rich Galen, let's talk this one out here. I know you're a Republican strategist, you worked for Dan Quayle and Newt Gingrich. Pretend with me just for a minute that you're with Rick Perry's team, this whole hunting camp thing comes out. How bad really is it? RICH GALEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I don't think it's bad at all.

If there had been a pattern of behavior that would lead any rational person to think that Perry was somehow -- had racist attitudes, then it would be a big deal. You know, Austin, Texas, is one of the most liberal towns in America. And "The Austin-American Statesman," the local newspaper, has got great writers, great reporters. They have held on to their talent, but it's reflective of the community that it serves.

It's a very liberal newspaper too. And if they thought that Perry was racist, he would have been hounded out of office 10 years ago. So I don't think there's anything to it. It's embarrassing and it's the kind of things that happen, Brooke, to campaigns that are sort of in a slump. This is the sort of thing that sort of piles on. But I think it will pass.

BALDWIN: All right, Rich Galen, let's talk the Chris Christie factor. Is he in or is he not? I was talking to our guys in the political unit. They say, look, he really just has this week to decide. Perhaps it's really just a conversation he has to have between he and his wife. But does it hurt the field by his delaying and really, though, is he too late? Would this be too late for him?

GALEN: Well, we will know -- if he were to get in, then we will know if it's too late. I think it is.

On the technical side, we have got filing deadlines coming up. There's the legal things you have got to get done, the forms that have to be filed. That can all get done, but it will just cause a flurry of things to happen.

More importantly, though, is the fact that a governor of a state, even New Jersey, even though it's in the shadow of the center of the universe there up in New York, the fact is that governors don't know a lot about other things other than being governor of their state, and if you don't believe me, go back and review some of the tape of Perry and his performance in these debates.

It's not because they're stupid or ignorant. It's just that there's a big country in this case west of the Delaware Water Gap, and a big world outside of that.

BALDWIN: Well, speaking of big, I did have a little conversation with Craig Crawford last week. And he mentioned the whole weight thing, and I just want to read -- I'm sure you read "The New York Times" op- ed over the weekend from Frank Bruni. And this was just -- he was sort of juxtaposing I guy someone of a larger size to this.

GALEN: Who used to be a food critic, I want to mention.

BALDWIN: OK. But take a look at this. He says -- quote -- "Someone can be a flawless steward of his or her physique and a wanton lunatic in all else. Ever been to Hollywood?"

Does it matter, rich? Does weight matter? GALEN: No. The perfect candidate comes along every 2,000 or so years and this doesn't happen to be the year.

When -- Barack Obama, you may remember, is black. Couldn't happen, couldn't get elected. Ronald Reagan was divorced. Couldn't possibly get elected. John Kennedy was Catholic. Couldn't possibly get elected. These are the sorts of things that people like me and Craig, who is a great friend, focus on when we sort of start ruminating about the pluses and minuses.

But the fact is, if Christie gets in and if he can get forward momentum before his opponents kind of collapse on top of him, like a Jets quarterback that is not getting protected by his line, then I think that he can -- the fact that he's rather heavyset will be something that Jay Leno and David Letterman will laugh about, but I think most people will say, OK, we got that part. Let's see what he stands for.

BALDWIN: So leave it to fodder for late night, but that's about it.

GALEN: Yes.

BALDWIN: I guess we should be hearing from Chris Christie any day now, Rich Galen, so we will be watching for that any day now him.

Any minute though, now, though, for Amanda Knox. Back to this breaking story. Her appeal will be decided. We're expecting that at any minute.

We will bring it to you live right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are minutes away from hearing a decision which will be read inside this courtroom, live pictures inside the courtroom.

In fact, we have just learned that the prosecutors have arrived, handshaking, some flashes going off. We do know that all families now are present. We have learned that the decision will be read in just about 15 minutes from now.

Keep in mind the jury and these two judges have been deliberating for the better part of 10, 11, 12 hours here in this case today in Italy. And it's just after 9:30 at night there in Perugia. We are going to take you down to the ground in just a moment here.

But just to set it up, Knox could go free. She could go back to prison for a stiffer sentence. Today is the day. It's the culmination of four years of denials by Knox and her co-defendants.

And CNN's Drew Griffin shows us how Knox got to this point.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT (voice-over): American Amanda Knox was intent on spending her junior year of college studying abroad, an adventure of sorts, which would land the 20-year-old in the picturesque Italian town of Perugia.

It was late summer 2007. Knox had moved in this house with three other girls, one British-born Meredith Kercher. Knox settled in, took classes at the local university, got a part-time job and even found a new boyfriend, 23-year-old Raffaele Sollecito. The adventure soon became a nightmare.

On the night of November 1, 2007, Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher was sexually assaulted, throat slashed and left for dead in the home the girls shared. As police searched for clues, Knox originally told them she had spent the night at her boyfriend's place.

But just four days later, November 5th, 2007, Amanda Knox changed her story. After hours of interrogation, Knox confessed to being in the home the night Kercher died, adding that her boss, a Congolese immigrant named Patrick Lamumba was there as well.

Kercher was killed, according to one theory, after refusing to take part in a group sex game. November 6, 2007, Amanda and her boyfriend were arrested. So was Lamumba, but he had a solid alibi and was released.

The case became a media sensation across Europe and in Seattle, Knox's hometown. The tabloids labeling her "Foxy Knoxy." November 19th, 2007, police identify yet another suspect, 20-year-old Rudy Guede, an immigrant from the Ivory Coast who appeared to be on the run.

He was caught in Germany the next day, one month later he was charged with Kercher's murder. October of 2008, Guede was found guilty, sentenced to 30 years. His lawyers would get it down to 16 years on appeal.

He had claimed Amanda Knox and her former lover were with him, but their trial wouldn't begin until January 16, 2009. Throughout, both insisted they were innocent. The court didn't believe them.

On December 5th, 2009, Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of killing and sexually assaulting Meredith Kercher. Knox got 26 years in prison. Sollecito slightly less.

November 2010, Knox and Sollecito begin the long road to appeal, all the while remaining in jail and defiant. Drew Griffin, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Let's go live now to Perugia to Becky Anderson who is just outside the courtroom. Becky, how much longer do they have to wait? When will this decision be read?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Something like 10 minutes from now. We were expecting it just about now. We were told just about 30 minutes ago it would be some 15 minutes delayed. It will have to come soon.

The decision on this appeal, everybody is now in the room as you rightly said, the prosecutors were the last to file in. It's been a constant stream of people going into the courthouse. Let me just show you where that is, right here, right behind me.

There's been a constant stream of people going in over the last half hour or so. The Kercher family were the last to arrive before the prosecutors, the two prosecutors. I called out to Lyle Kercher, Meredith's brother -- lest we forget there was a victim in all of this.

Meredith Kercher was brutally, sexually assaulted and murdered the beginning of November in 2007. When I called out to him and asked him, how he felt? He just said nervous. Let me tell you, the family looked really, really emotional and very, very tired.

Some didn't expect the Kerchers to be in this courthouse today when this decision was handed down. It will be handed down as I've say within the next few minutes. The Knox family are there. Their lawyers are there.

We haven't seen Sollecito, her former boyfriend, or Amanda Knox yet in the courthouse, but just earlier on they were driven passed what is -- let me show you -- a crowd of people. I mean, as far as the eye can see. I can see people way up here, most of the streets absolutely packed.

You can see the media are here as are many, many, many people from what is a medieval city, the city of Perugia here in central Italy, which has really been thrown apart by this case since 2007. I was talking to many people today.

They said they just want this case to be over. Will it be over today? Well, there are pretty much three choices, Brooke, at this stage. The jury who have been out now for about 11 hours who will deliver this decision, the presiding judge who's part of that jury, will deliver this decision shortly, the verdict, the conviction of murder, will either be overturned, in which case Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend could be out of jail imminently.

They'll be taken back. They'll have to just pick up their things and do their paperwork. Amanda Knox could be back in the states within hours, effectively, certainly out of here and back in the states possibly by tomorrow.

The verdict could be upheld, which means they simply go back to prison and that is where they stay. The prosecution actually looking to extend their stay in prison. A lot of people I've spoken to today say that the likelihood -- and this is just speculation.

We know absolutely nothing about what the jury has decided. There's much speculation here that the verdict will be upheld or it will be reduced, or partially upheld, which effectively means they could still be found guilty of interfering with a case and of defamation. Their sentences could be reduced.

BALDWIN: So, Becky, forgive me for interrupting. So from what I'm hearing from you, there are multiple options here for these six jurors and the two judges. Four minutes now away from when the decision should be read. Let's get a quick break in. We're going to go back live to Perugia on the fate of Amanda Knox, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. Breaking news here on CNN. I want to welcome you, our viewers and also our viewers all around the world.

My colleague, Isha Sesay, joining me now also from CNN International as we're bringing you live coverage of the decision. We are just about a minute away from this decision with regard with the fate of Amanda Knox being read in this Perugia courtroom.

ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, indeed. Let's take you inside that courtroom. I want to show you these pictures as they play out, as we await this ruling.

Looking at the scene, the courtroom is packed. That is Amanda Knox herself as she awaits this major decision that, Brooke, as you and I have been discussing ultimately will shape the future course of her life.

BALDWIN: We were watching as she was walking in, and she appeared to be breathing very deeply as I'm sure anyone would be knowing your life is hanging on the line.

SESAY: Indeed.

BALDWIN: Jeff Toobin joins me from New York, our CNN senior legal analyst. Jeff Toobin, I just want to get your first reaction to this scene, a very tense, a emotional scene inside this Perugian courtroom.

JEFF TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: I think it's important to keep in mind that we are in a very different legal system. Earlier when the camera was pulled back, we could see behind the judge a crucifix. You certainly wouldn't see a religious symbol in the United States.

But it's a different system. The appeals process is different. We have a jury making an appellate decision, with wide discretion, increase the sentence, lower the sentence, or eliminate the sentence. It's slower than the United States, but it's a lot more freewheeling. So it's a very uncertain situation right now.

BALDWIN: And to be precise, this isn't a verdict that the jury is handing down. This is a decision because this is an appeal. So this isn't a guilt/innocence or guilt/not guilt.

This is a multiple-option, could be anything from life in prison, is what the prosecutors were pushing for recently, all the way to her perhaps hours from now flying home and anything in between.

TOOBIN: That's true, which you can see why she looks a little tense. It would certainly be unnatural not to be, given those sorts of stakes. I think what a lot of people forget about this case is that there's one person already in prison, Mr. Guede, who there's an overwhelming case against, DNA, blood, fingerprints, all sorts of evidence against him. The real issue in this case is, are Amanda Knox and her boyfriend co- conspirators? Somehow also involved? There's no mystery here, I think, about who killed Ms. Kercher. The question is, did Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito help him do that? And we'll see what the jury says in a few minutes.

SESAY: Jeff, it's Isha here. I want you to break something down for our viewers, struck by the fact that this panel of jurors has six laypeople and two judges. Help us understand the role the judges will take in the decision making process.

TOOBIN: They are jurors, as I understand it. They are jurors like the rest of them. Obviously, you would think, that their views would carry a lot of weight with their fellow jurors, but this is just another example -- you know, in an American jury we pick people because they are not familiar with the case.

They are not familiar with the legal system. They are representatives of the community, Italian system is different. They pick people who are experts in the law, not in this particular case, but two of the jurors are experts.

BALDWIN: Jeff, stand by. I just want to speak to these pictures. It's this profile image here of Amanda Knox. I don't know if you've seen, but she appears to be wiping her face, perhaps wiping away tears.

We know she was choking up a bit earlier this morning when with she really gave her own defense essentially pleading for her own life. Of course, there is a victim in all of this, Meredith Kercher. Her family is there inside as well. They want justice here in this case.

I want to bring in Anne Bremner, she's a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor. She's also a spokeswoman for "Friends of Amanda."

Anne, have you been in touch at all with the family in the last few hours? What can you share with regard to how the family is feeling today?

ANNA BREMNER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I have been and our group has been in the last few days but not in the last exactly few hours. I mean, this has been so horrific for them. I mean, I feel like it's deja vu all over again watching this expected verdict and then of course the verdict from the courtroom, the trial, where she was convicted.

There was so much tension. Of course, a different case today with the independent review of forensic evidence. I think everybody is cautiously optimistic. But there's been so many twists and turns in this case and so many things that have happened that are unexpected, everyone is understandably very, very tense, especially Amanda Knox.

BALDWIN: In talking to the family in the last couple of days, I mean, how has Amanda been? What has she been say saying to the family?

BREMNER: She's been very sombre, very reflective, very serious. She prepared her own remarks that she delivered this morning where she was very direct and appropriate, I think, under the circumstances, and passionate about her innocence.

She also spent time in thought at church with a priest, as did her mom and others. So this is it. I mean, this is the time where either she's going to be spending the rest of her life conceivably in prison, if the prosecutor gets his way, or she could be flying home to Seattle.

BALDWIN: Anne, one more question, speaking of Seattle, I know we have live pictures from within a hotel there in the city of just different people --

BREMNER: Yes.

BALDWIN: There they are, just different people gathered around to watch this decision along with us. I mean, this has been, what, a tremendous roller coaster for everyone there.

BREMNER: Well, it is. I know they were all there overnight, people stayed up all night. I stopped by there at 4:30 this morning and some folks were having breakfast that had been up all night.

They were very happy with Amanda's remarks. There's a lot of support for Amanda Knox. And the "Friends of Amanda Knox" have been here and worked really hard for four years, you know, supporting her innocence. So it's a really tense moment back here in Seattle, too.

BALDWIN: We are minutes away from that decision being read. Anne Bremner, stay with us. But for now, Isha, to you.

SESAY: Thanks, Brooke. Let's go back to the scene outside that courtroom in Perugia, Italy, where we are of course moments away from the decision.

Becky Anderson is standing by outside that courtroom. Becky, I'd imagine the tension through the roof right now as people know we're moments away from a decision in all of this.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. The tension is palpable out here. I mean, these streets were fairly empty for most of the day, a lot of media around. We didn't have the sort of inquisitive audience there is here now.

People from all over Perugia just here to find out what is going to happen in the next few minutes. Just before we hear from the presiding judge, just want our viewers to have a sense what they might be listening out for. We will translate what the presiding Judge Helmand says.

He'll be speaking in Italian, of course, we'll be translating that for you live here on CN. Listen up for two key numbers. If there's an acquittal in all of this, you will hear him use the number, we understand at least, Article 530.

If the decision here on appeal is to uphold the conviction of murder, you will hear the number 533. So listen up for 530 that will be an acquittal, 533 suggests that the convictions will be upheld.

Excuse me, I'm losing my voice slightly here. The slight sort of difficulty comes if we get delivered a decision, which is partially overturned, which effectively means that they not necessarily seem to have murdered or sexually you assaulted Meredith Kercher.

But maybe interfering with the crime scene, defamation, a number of things, which may mean their sentences are reduced. I repeat, 530 means effectively there's been an acquittal, 533 means these murder convictions will have been upheld. Amanda Knox is in the room as you know, the prosecutors there, the Kercher family there, as are the Knoxes and their lawyers.

I mean, it's pretty quiet out here at the moment. We're just waiting on what is happening in the room just behind me here, of course, as we get the decision, we will bring it straight to you here on CNN. You're going to hear it as it's simulcast out of there.

SESAY: Becky, one of the big talking points from this day of course has been Amanda Knox's own personal statement that she made hours ago in that courtroom in near-perfect Italian in which she said, I did not kill, I did not rape, I did not steal. I was not there. Talk to me about how people there on the streets have been reacting to such powerful, emotional words.

ANDERSON: This all started about 9:30 local time. Sollecito spoke first.

BALDWIN: Becky, forgive me for interrupting. This is about to get going. Let's listen in live. The decision about to be read in the fate of Amanda Knox.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): On behalf of the Italian people, and the court of Perugia, after having examined Section 605 of the procedural code, partially overturns the judgment for December 2009.

In relation to Knox, Amanda and Sollecito, Raffaele that have appealed. The prosecutor states Knox, Amanda is guilty of defamation with exclusion of aggravating circumstance in this criminal code and with aggravating circumstance of the Article 98.

It condemned to three years of custodial sentence and have -- she has to pay legal cost and Patrick Lamumba 22,170 and to reimburse for general expenses and accessories.

Acquitted of offense charges A, B, C, D and with regard E, yes, because the fight did happen so we have overturned. So Knox, Amanda is free and Sollecito, Rafaelle as well. Silence, please. Silence, please. We have 90 days to deliver the reasoning.

BALDWIN: Knox, Amanda, is free. The sentence the Knox family and 24- year-old Amanda Knox that had been hoping they would hear. That hope has become a reality. Cheers, tears, we saw Amanda Knox followed by her father, Curt Knox followed by Raffaele Sollecito being held up and walked out of this courtroom. Victory for the Knox family. Let's go straight to outside the courtroom to Becky Anderson. Becky, I know you didn't see the images from outside, but I can only imagine it is a tremendous scene now where you are.

ANDERSON: Yes. An audible gasp when that was delivered. In fact, we were calling out as we heard it in our ear so people here could hear it, partially overturned. You remember she was acquitted on all charges except on defamation. That, of course, was the charge she defamed Labumba when effectively she said that he was involved and indeed, they weren't.

She will have to pay his cost. What I think I heard, I'm maybe wrong here, but what I think I heard was the sentence for that would be three years. But of course, they served already that amount of time so one assumes at this point that she is free.

She will go back to prison, as far as I understand it. I'm just keeping my eye on who is coming out of the courthouse behind me. I'll give that you shot, actually because we already had some people leaving. They will all come out of this door momentarily.

From what we understand, she will go back to prison. Amanda Knox will go back to prison this evening simply to pick up her things and to fill out some paperwork. In fact, her American passport had expired since she had been in prison here, convicted of the murder, of course, of Meredith Kercher who was sexually assaulted and murdered back in 2007.

And Knox and Sollecito, her former boyfriend were sent to prison in 2009, convicted of that, but tonight we have found out she has been acquitted on all charges aside from defamation. She will have to pay Lamumba -- the monies that he has asked for in civil court and will have to pay the charges here in court as well.

Quite a remarkable end to what has been a nightmare for everybody concerned. And I've said before, I'm going to say it again, lest we forget there was and is a victim here of Meredith Kercher, of course, who was sexually assaulted and murdered back in 2007.

BALDWIN: Becky, do me a favor. Let's zoom into that door? Am I hears boos, Becky?

ANDERSON: Yes, you are boos.

BALDWIN: Why? Who is this?

ANDERSON: That, I believe, was Sollecito's lawyer who just walked out of the courthouse, yes, a lot of boos going on from the crowd here. It's really divided the opinion in Perugia. What everybody will say they want this case over and done with.

They don't want this besmirching the name of this medieval city any more. Keep the camera trained on the door there. Momentarily people will begin to come out of the room. I'm just going to make sure we are up-to-date on exactly what is going on here. BALDWIN: It sounded as though they were chanting "Victoria, Victoria," "victory, victory." What is the sense within Perugia then with regard to the fate of Amanda Knox? I mean, it's been talked about, written about in Perugia, has it been mixed, the reception?

ANDERSON: Yes, it's been very mixed. Let's stay the door and watch for those who will be coming momentarily from the courthouse. It has been extremely mixed. I see Matthew Chance, our correspondent who's been in the courthouse. I'm going to get him to come around and talk to me just as soon as he makes it around what is a mob of media here.

Yes, it's been extremely mixed. Certainly, there was not a lot of sympathy for Amanda Knox in back 2007 and right through 2009. But I think after these two independent investigators looked into the key DNA evidence and found it was contestable, that it didn't stand up in court, the last couple of months has been more sympathy for Knox than there had been in the past.

Let's bring in Matthew Chance who's just been in the courtroom. Matthew, talk us through what you saw and heard.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm a little out of breath running up the steps about three plights, but I can tell you, absolutely incredible emotional scenes inside that courthouse. The tension as we were waiting for Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito to arrive was absolutely incredible.

I've never experienced anything like that. Frankly, it was amazing. When that verdict came down, basically acquitted on all charges except for the defamation charge, it was just astonishing. Amanda Knox's parents, of course, so euphoric at that decision.

There were whoops and chants. Amanda Knox herself, she totally broke down. She was very tense when she went in, but then when she heard that she was walking away after four years inside prison -- what do you mean? I thought something was telling me something else.

ANDERSON: If you can train the camera on the door and Matt will continue to talk to me about the atmosphere in the courtroom just moments ago. The Kerchers, of course, were there as well. What was their reaction to the decision?

CHANCE: Well, obviously, it was in stark contrast. While there is all this celebration going on in one end of the courtroom, at the other end, just in front of me was Meredith Kercher's sister Stephanie, her mother Arline as well.

When they heard the news that Amanda Knox was walking free, I mean, they were -- they were both very upset indeed. Arline was looking forward, she was saying nothing, the mother. The sister was in tears and there was somebody next to her - trying to comfort here.

You must remember all the time they believed that Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were guilty in the killing of Meredith Kercher, the daughter and the sister. They had been pushing all along throughout this hearing, giving press conferences, releasing statements saying that they want that jury to, you know, uphold that initial verdict, that guilty verdict, but you know, it didn't happen.

ANDERSON: We are going to throw it back to the studio at this stage while we find out what is going on over there. There's an awful lot of noise at this point. As we know, Amanda Knox will walk free. She is free to go back to the states.

BALDWIN: I'm told they are chanting "shame, shame." Becky Anderson, thank you so much. Our thanks to Matthew Chance as well. Let's just go back, Isha, to the image of Amanda Knox inside that courtroom.

SESAY: Absolutely, Brooke. Let's play for our viewers the moment when Amanda Knox learned of her fate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): So we have overturned. So Knox, Amanda is free and Sollecito, Raffaelle as well. Please, silence, please. Silence, please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: "SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer starts right now.