MILAN - The Italian defense lawyer for Amanda Knox says the European Court of Human Rights has agreed to hear the U.S. woman's case challenging her slander conviction during the trial for her British roommate's murder.
Carlo Dalla Vedova said Friday that the Strasbourg court's decision this week is "good news" because the vast majority of cases are rejected. He said the Italian government has until September to provide its response.
Knox's team argues that the slander charge violated her human rights because it was based on statements she made under duress and without a defense lawyer or translator present.
Italy's highest court overturned the murder conviction against Knox and her former boyfriend last March, but upheld her slander conviction for wrongly accusing a Congolese-born bar owner in the murder.
