one of the woman 's brothers , said it was `` overwhelming '' to be in the same room as Guede when the judge convicted and sentenced him . But Lyle Kercher , a second brother , said that `` pleased '' was n't the right word for the family 's feelings , noting that his sister was murdered . `` Satisfied '' was more appropriate given the circumstances , he said . At his lawyers ' request , Guede , hoping for a lesser sentence , received a separate fast-track trial from Knox and Sollecito . Lawyers for Sollecito , 24 , and Knox , 21 , asked that their clients -- who have been in jail since shortly after the murder -- be allowed to stay under house arrest if indicted . However , Sollecito 's attorney , Luca Maori , and Knox 's attorney , Carlo Dalla Vedova , said the judge had not ruled on their request . They expect an answer in coming days , they said . Prosecutors allege Guede committed sexual violence against Kercher with the help of Knox and Sollecito . They have said the three then strangled and stabbed the British
PERUGIA , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A judge Tuesday convicted Rudy Guede , a native of the Ivory Coast , in last year 's murder of a British woman in Italy and sentenced him to 30 years in prison . Briton Meredith Kercher was found dead in her Perugia apartment last November . Judge Paolo Micheli also ruled that adequate evidence exists to try an American woman , Amanda Knox , and her former Italian boyfriend , Raffaele Sollecito , in the killing of Meredith Kercher , said defense attorneys and Francisco Maresca , the lawyer for the victim 's family . Their trial will begin December 4 . Guede , Knox and Sollecito have all denied wrongdoing . Guede 's attorney said he will appeal the conviction and sentence . Kercher , a 21-year-old exchange student at the University of Perugia , was found nearly a year ago , dead in her bed , with a knife wound to her neck . Official reports said Kercher may have been sexually assaulted before she died and that she bled to death . Members of Kercher 's family spoke to reporters following the court proceeding . John Kercher Jr. ,