Defense CCTV Presentation
At the end of the first trial the defense submitted a CCTV presentation summarizing its analysis of the CCTV footage captured on the afternoon of November 2, 2007.[1] Contrary to claims made by the pro-guilt wiki, there is nothing nefarious about the timing or content of this presentation: the footage was already in evidence, the phone records were in already evidence, and the defense’s arguments about the calibration of the CCTV clock had already been presented at the March 13, 2009 hearing.[2] It is not at all surprising that judge Massei did not utilize the defense’s CCTV analysis, as it is only one of several reasons the prosecution is wrong about the timing of the 112 calls.
The surveillance camera at the garage across the street faced the cottage gate and activated momentarily whenever there was traffic around the garage entrance.[3] The photo above shows the cottage (at center) and the approximate field of view of this camera (at left). From this vantage point it is clear there is no reason for a person to stand across the street from the garage unless going to or coming from the cottage.
The first set of frames taken at 12:36 depict a black Fiat Punto pulling up to the parking garage with its turn signals on. The car subsequently reverses out of the camera’s frame. Notice that no one can be seen exiting the vehicle, which was identified by police as the one driven by officers Battistelli and Marsi.[4]
At 12:41 an identical Fiat Punto drives by the garage and cottage gate without stopping. This is consistent with testimony from Battistelli and Marsi that their vehicle performed at least one circuit before finding the cottage.[5]
Shortly thereafter, also at 12:41, a figure wearing dark pants and light sneakers walks away from the cottage gate. According to police witness Marco Barbadori, who investigated the CCTV footage, this person is likely Battistelli, who was on foot looking for the cottage while his colleague searched from the car.[6]
At 12:48 a man appears from the left and crosses the street to greet another man standing by the cottage gate. Barbadori was able to identify the man waiting as Battistelli but could not identify his companion.[7] Because there is no good reason to stand across the street from the garage unless approaching the cottage, the appearance of these figures minutes after police are captured on CCTV is probably not coincidental.
At 13:22, an officer of the Carabinieri (identified by the distinctive stripe down his pant leg) arrives on foot.
At 13:22, a Carabinieri patrol car crosses the oncoming lane and slowly drives into the entrance of number 7 Via della Pergola.
Phone records reveal Amanda Knox’s cell phone received a 13:29 call for directions from Carabinieri Regional Command. This contradicts police claims that the camera was ten minutes fast — that is, ahead of the actual time:[8]
How is it possible that the police telephoned at 13:29:00 if at 13:22:50 (according to camera time), or at 13:12:50 (according to the police), the [Carabinieri patrol] was already at the entrance of the street number 7?
The call for directions lasted about five minutes and Battistelli did not report being interrupted mid-call by any arrivals. Even allowing for a generous four minutes of overlap between the call and the patrol’s arrival in the driveway, this would place the arrival of the Carabinieri between about 13:30, shortly after the call for directions started, and 13:35, when the patrol confirmed its arrival with headquarters. Therefore the clock was actually about ten minutes slow — that is, behind the actual time.
The 12:48 footage that depicts the arrival of the police is therefore consistent with a 12:58 arrival in real time.
See also
References
- postale.pdf
- 13 March 2009 Transcript, pp. 15-35
- Ibid., p. 6
- Ibid., p. 7
- 6 February 2009 Transcript, p. 80
- Ibid.
- 13 March 2009, p. 33
- postale.pdf
External links
- Google Maps: No. 7 Via della Pergola (2007 address)
