U.S. student, boyfriend on trial in Italy

PERUGIA, Italy, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- A college student from Seattle and her Italian ex-boyfriend went on trial Friday in Perugia, Italy, on charges of killing her roommate.

Amanda Knox, 21, and Raffaele Sollecito, 24, allegedly killed Meredith Kercher, 21, during a sex game, The Times of London reported. The charges include murder, sexual violence, faking a break-in and theft.

Kercher, who came from a London suburb, and Knox were in Perugia to study Italian. They shared a house with two Italian women where Kercher's body was found with her throat cut on the floor of her bedroom in 2007.

The courtroom was packed with reporters and photographers Friday. Judges rejected a request by Kercher's parents to bar the news media.

Knox, who has been jailed for more than a year, seemed relaxed in the courtroom. She talked to her lawyers, occasionally laughing out loud.

Sollecito looked at her from time to time, but she did not return his glances.

Rudy Guede, a co-defendant who was sentenced to 30 years, is expected to testify for the prosecution.