ABC Family has just green lit a new television drama series titled "Guilt," which media outlets believe to have been inspired by the events surrounding Amanda Knox's trial, conviction, and acquittal that took place from 2007 to 2015.
Knox was an American exchange student who became a witness and, later, a suspect to the murder of her housemate Meredith Kercher. She was the first person to see the body and raise the alarm to call the police, but during a lengthy trial, she was taken into custody as a prime suspect.
She was convicted of the crime alongside her boyfriend Raffaelle Sollecito in 2009. An appeal reopened the case in 2010 and they were released in 2011 when the investigation pointed Rudy Guede as the real killer. By 2013, the case was once again reopened and by 2015, both Knox and Sollecito were acquitted of the crime, stating that they were innocent and clear of all charges.
The television show ABC Family is developing revolves around an American staying abroad in London when she becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her roommate. The premise alone is too similar to Knox's case for it to be mere coincidence.
However, according to a report from AVClub, the show is billed as a mystery series and a thriller-soap opera. New twists and clues about the case will be revealed with each new episode. In order to avoid having to pay any form of royalty to Knox and other involved parties, the show needs to be distinctly different from the real life events and names.
Part of the synopsis reads:
'Guilt' is an edgy, soapy thriller that revolves around an American in London who becomes the prime suspect in the savage murder of her roommate. As the investigation unfolds, the viewers will question whether she's a naive, young girl whose poor decisions are being magnified under the ruthless glare of the British tabloids, or whether she's a sociopath who brutally murdered her friend."
Observers state that the premise sounds a lot like Knox's case.
