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Amanda Knox Prosecutor's Satanic Theory Rejected by Judge

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | April 23, 2010 at 08:05 am

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Giuliano Mignini , the head prosecutor in the murder trial of American University of Washington student Amanda Knox, has had his satanic theory rejected by an Italian judge .

In the 1970s and 80s in Florence, Italy, a series of couples killed while in lover's lanes prompted the "Monster of Florence" story that a serial killer was on the loose. The identity of this killer has yet to be discovered.

In October 1985, a physician - Dr. Francesco Narducci - was found dead near a lake outside of Perugia, Italy. In an apparent suicide, it was ruled the doctor died of an overdose of Demerol. But in 2001, Perugia prosecutor Giulano Mignini decided that Narducci's death was integrally connected to the Monster of Florence case, and claimed Narducci was a member of a satanic sect that killed women for body parts to be used in black masses, and the wealthy Perugia doctor was the keeper of those body parts. Mignini claimed Narducci was murdered to keep him silent about the masses.

A Satanic theory brings 20 criminal indictments

Mignini theorized a fantastic and elaborate conspiracy of 20 people, including government officials and law enforcement officers, who made up a secret society behind the Monster killings.

20 people were indicted and charged with the concealment of Narducci's murder, and laid out a hard-to-follow plot that included body doubles and featured Narducci's body being swapped two times.

Tuesday, in a preliminary hearing, cases against all 20 were thrown out in a ruling by Perugia Judge Paolo Micheli , who found there was no solid evidence to back up Mignini's claim that Narducci was murdered, let alone the victim of a satanic sect.

"Mignini's malicious and completely unwarranted accusations ruined many lives and impoverished the defendants and their families," Douglas Preston, the author of "The Monster of Florence," told Crimesider. Added Mario Spezi, Preston's co-author in Italy, "The great question is: How was it possible that Mignini was able to pursue a case that everyone knew was crazy?"

Bringing the theory into the Amanda Knox case

That Giuliano Mignini was also the head prosecutor in the Amanda Knox case is telling. In addition to his criminal convictions for prosecutorial misconduct, Mignini had theorized that Amanda Knox, her Italian boyfriend Rafaele Sollecito, and drifter Rudy Guede, has taken part in a drug-fueled sex game, and had chosen Halloween night for its ritual significance. This game ended in the murder of British student and flat mate of Knox, Meredith Kercher.

The judge in the Kercher case threw out Mignini's theory as well, yet it was still fodder for Italian papers, which jurors had been exposed to.

Author Douglas Preston, who wrote, "The Monster of Florence" , had once been interrogated by Mignini himself, and found the experience harrowing and daunting.

His friend has said :