Knox trial: Medical consultant disputes knife was murder weapon

ROME — A medical consultant testified Monday in the trial of former University of Washington student Amanda Knox that a knife believed to have been used in the slaying of a British student is "not compatible" with the victim's stab wound, an Italian news report said.

Carlo Torre was giving evidence for the defense in the trial of Knox, of Seattle, and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. They deny wrongdoing.

Torre told the court the neck wound was made with a knife with a 3-inch blade, while prosecutors maintain a 6 ½-inch knife found at Sollecito's home could be the murder weapon, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

He also said there is no evidence that Kercher, who shared a rented flat with Knox, had been assaulted by more than one person. One man already has been convicted of her murder.

Knox, who has been jailed since shortly after the slaying, will spend a second birthday in jail when she turns 22 on Thursday. Her mother, Edda Mellas, of Seattle, told reporters after Monday's court session that Knox will be receiving many greeting cards as well as books and T-shirts for her birthday.

Mellas predicted it would be her daughter's last birthday behind bars. Knox's family has expressed confidence she will be acquitted.