HarperCollins cancels UK publication of Amanda Knox’s book
HarperCollins has announced that it will not publish Amanda Knox’s book ‘Waiting to be Heard’, which gives her account of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Italy.
HarperCollins UK had been due to release the book to UK readers on May 9, but now says that it will not go ahead due to libel laws and the legal difficulties it could cause following the recently ordered retrial for Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito.
The Telegraph reports that there are also concerns about an ongoing case in which Italian police are suing Knox and her parents for defamation after they claimed she was physically assaulted by officers during an all-night interrogation following the murder.
A spokesman for HarperCollins said: “Due to our legal system, and relying upon advice from our counsel, HarperCollins UK will not publish a British edition of Waiting To Be Heard, by Amanda Knox, at this time,” adding that it will wait until all legal stages in Italy are exhausted before considering the release of the book.
Knox was reportedly paid $4 million for the book, which will launch as scheduled on April 30 in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Amazon describes the book as “a remarkable story of innocence, resilience and courage, and of one young woman’s hard-fought battle to overcome injustice and win the freedom she deserved”.