was found dead in her bed , half-naked , with a knife wound to her neck . In court papers , prosecutors stated that Sollecito held Kercher by her wrists while Knox poked at her with a knife and Guede sexually assaulted her . Prosecutors say they have physical evidence placing the defendants at the scene , and that they gave investigators confusing and contradictory statements about their whereabouts the night Kercher died . Knox first said she was at the house she shared with Kercher , then changed her story , according to court records . Sollecito , meanwhile , said he was never at the house , but was at his apartment , watching a movie on his computer with Knox . Later , he told investigators he did not remember whether Knox was with him the entire night . Defense lawyers are expected to argue that the physical evidence was tainted by sloppy police work . The case is being heard by a panel of eight judges . The trial has drawn more than 140 journalists from 86 news outlets to the courthouse in Perugia , Italy . The presiding judge in the case , Giancarlo Massei
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amanda Knox will testify Friday in an Italian courtroom to defend herself against charges that she took part in the killing of her roommate two years ago , her lawyer said . American college student Amanda Knox , 21 , is expected to take the witness stand Friday at her Italian murder trial . Knox , 21 , an American college student from Seattle , Washington , will be questioned by her attorneys first and her testimony could continue Saturday , said Luciano Ghriga , one of her lawyers . The trial against Knox and her Italian former boyfriend , Raffaele Sollecito , 24 , began January 16 in Perugia , a university town about 185 kilometers -LRB- 115 miles -RRB- north of Rome . They are charged with murder and sexual assault in the November 2007 slaying of Knox 's roommate , British exchange student Meredith Kercher , who died in what prosecutors called a `` drug-fueled sex game '' with the couple . A third person , Rudy Hermann Guede , from the Ivory Coast , was convicted of murder in October and sentenced to 30 years in prison . Kercher