Amanda Knox Back in Court on Cop Slander Charge

Amanda Knox will leave prison for the first time in 6 months today to answer slander charges stemming from her murder trial in Italy. The American—serving a 26-year sentence for killing British student Meredith Kercher—testified during her year-long murder trial that police beat her during questioning. She faces an extra 6 years in jail if found guilty of slandering the Italian police with that testimony, the Guardian reports.

"What she said was very serious and it is only right she faces justice," said the prosecutor who secured her murder conviction and is pursuing the slander charge. Her lawyers, alleging bias, are seeking a different judge to hear the case. Knox's parents—who labeled the slander charge "harassment"—will be indicted on the same charge next month for repeating her claims to the media. (More Meredith Kercher stories.)