Radar has published a brief update I wrote on the investigation into the November 1, 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. I encourage regular readers of this blog to leave comments on my posts there (over a week ago, I wrote an overview of the case that Radar published here), but if you prefer discussing it on posts like this at The True Crime Weblog, you may do so. If you check out any of my work for Radar, please consider clicking "Recommend it" at the bottom of each article published there -- no registration required for that [note: please, only click one time to recommend any article you like on Radar's site].
I won't be duplicating work between this blog and Radar, and that's the main reason I've posted entries here promoting anything crime-related that the magazine has been kind enough to accept from me (I've written a handful of non-crime related posts for Radar's "Fresh Intelligence" blog as well). My writing there is a little different style-wise, and (fortunately) gets edited by others along the way, but it's still basically the same old me.
An interesting observation occurred to me as I wrote this most recent Radar entry, but I didn't think the observation was appropriate to the item in question.
Natalee Holloway and Amanda Knox are two sides of the same coin, in a way.
Holloway, the Alabama teen who vanished from the island of Aruba on May 30, 2005, is in the news again after the three suspects originally arrested in connection with her disappearance were picked up again in Holland and on Aruba.
Natalee and Amanda -- both pretty, both smart. If Natalee were still alive (I have no doubt that the girl is deceased), they'd be the same age. They were both American girls on an adventure very far from home, and those adventures ended in tragedy.
Of course, it is the tragedy in each case that marks where the similarities between the girls cease. No one doubts anymore that Natalee was a victim, in some way. She may have been naive, unaware of just how much danger could lurk even on the sunny, friendly island of Aruba, but in the end, something happened to her, and someone -- at least 3 people, maybe more -- is/are hiding the truth.
As the story of Meredith Kercher's murder spins out in the world press, it becomes more apparent that "Foxy Knoxy" may be some kind of predatory, anti-social personality. Reports of her behavior while in jail reflect someone who is, at the very least, not in touch with conventional reality. Amanda's DNA reportedly being on the handle of the knife that had Meredith Kercher's DNA on the blade raises huge questions about her part -- if any -- in Kercher's murder.
Essentially, Natalee Holloway went abroad and her fate embodied parents' worst nightmares. A conspiracy of silence was created around Natalee's disappearance, and that conspiracy has stood the test of time, so far. Amanda Knox went abroad and became a kind of nightmare. Natalee's inhibitions may have slipped away a bit as she partied on that island, and someone took advantage of that. Amanda's inhibitions vanished as she partied in Europe, and she may have victimized another girl, and then become part of a new conspiracy to hide the truth behind the tragedy.
For one girl we have immense sympathy. Since Natalee's disappearance, only the Madeleine McCann case in Portugal has been more discussed on the Web and in the mainstream media. Everyone perceives Natalee Holloway's stolen promise and vitality.
But Americans, in particular, don't seem to know what to do or say when it comes to discussing Amanda Knox. While "Foxy Knoxy," a Seattleite (who probably rues the day she ever chose that screen name) has been subject to plenty of discussion in Seattle media, other U.S. coverage of Meredith Kercher's murder seems a little muted. The case is certainly not being ignored, but the reporting here has frequently seemed lackluster compared to the voracious European appetite for news in this case.
It seems like it's true -- over here, we're much more comfortable with women as potential victims in need of rescue. There are a few of us who find the idea of an attractive young woman being accused of having a role in a gruesome, sexually-charged, psychopathically-motivated crime fascinating, impossible to ignore. But in general, Americans prefer the idealized story, the idealized woman. We are much more comfortable expressing sympathy for beautiful, fair-haired Natalee Holloway than we are trying to understand the mind behind the impenetrable gaze of beautiful, fair-haired, possibly evil Amanda.
GO HERE FOR PREVIOUS COMMENT THREAD.
GO HERE FOR NEW OPEN THREAD.
I won't be duplicating work between this blog and Radar, and that's the main reason I've posted entries here promoting anything crime-related that the magazine has been kind enough to accept from me (I've written a handful of non-crime related posts for Radar's "Fresh Intelligence" blog as well). My writing there is a little different style-wise, and (fortunately) gets edited by others along the way, but it's still basically the same old me.
An interesting observation occurred to me as I wrote this most recent Radar entry, but I didn't think the observation was appropriate to the item in question.
Natalee Holloway and Amanda Knox are two sides of the same coin, in a way.
Holloway, the Alabama teen who vanished from the island of Aruba on May 30, 2005, is in the news again after the three suspects originally arrested in connection with her disappearance were picked up again in Holland and on Aruba.
Natalee and Amanda -- both pretty, both smart. If Natalee were still alive (I have no doubt that the girl is deceased), they'd be the same age. They were both American girls on an adventure very far from home, and those adventures ended in tragedy.
Of course, it is the tragedy in each case that marks where the similarities between the girls cease. No one doubts anymore that Natalee was a victim, in some way. She may have been naive, unaware of just how much danger could lurk even on the sunny, friendly island of Aruba, but in the end, something happened to her, and someone -- at least 3 people, maybe more -- is/are hiding the truth.
As the story of Meredith Kercher's murder spins out in the world press, it becomes more apparent that "Foxy Knoxy" may be some kind of predatory, anti-social personality. Reports of her behavior while in jail reflect someone who is, at the very least, not in touch with conventional reality. Amanda's DNA reportedly being on the handle of the knife that had Meredith Kercher's DNA on the blade raises huge questions about her part -- if any -- in Kercher's murder.
Essentially, Natalee Holloway went abroad and her fate embodied parents' worst nightmares. A conspiracy of silence was created around Natalee's disappearance, and that conspiracy has stood the test of time, so far. Amanda Knox went abroad and became a kind of nightmare. Natalee's inhibitions may have slipped away a bit as she partied on that island, and someone took advantage of that. Amanda's inhibitions vanished as she partied in Europe, and she may have victimized another girl, and then become part of a new conspiracy to hide the truth behind the tragedy.
For one girl we have immense sympathy. Since Natalee's disappearance, only the Madeleine McCann case in Portugal has been more discussed on the Web and in the mainstream media. Everyone perceives Natalee Holloway's stolen promise and vitality.
But Americans, in particular, don't seem to know what to do or say when it comes to discussing Amanda Knox. While "Foxy Knoxy," a Seattleite (who probably rues the day she ever chose that screen name) has been subject to plenty of discussion in Seattle media, other U.S. coverage of Meredith Kercher's murder seems a little muted. The case is certainly not being ignored, but the reporting here has frequently seemed lackluster compared to the voracious European appetite for news in this case.
It seems like it's true -- over here, we're much more comfortable with women as potential victims in need of rescue. There are a few of us who find the idea of an attractive young woman being accused of having a role in a gruesome, sexually-charged, psychopathically-motivated crime fascinating, impossible to ignore. But in general, Americans prefer the idealized story, the idealized woman. We are much more comfortable expressing sympathy for beautiful, fair-haired Natalee Holloway than we are trying to understand the mind behind the impenetrable gaze of beautiful, fair-haired, possibly evil Amanda.
GO HERE FOR PREVIOUS COMMENT THREAD.
GO HERE FOR NEW OPEN THREAD.
