What would have happened to Amanda Knox in the U.S?
Unless you've been up in the mountains without media access you know that an Italian Court found Amanda Knox not guilty. This verdict followed the original verdict where she was found guilty of murdering her room mate. While I don't know much about the Italian justice system, it appears the appeal goes to a panel of judges, who review the evidence, and can hear new evidence. It was during this process that the reliability of the DNA evidence was questioned.
So what would have happened to Amanda Know in the United States? Her case would have gone to a Court of Appeals, who would review the trial for legal errors. Their review would be limited to the record of what happened at trial. They don't have authority to order new testing, nor do they have authority to hear evidence. If the reliability of the DNA evidence was questioned it would have been up to her lawyers to do that, and even if they produced the same evidence the Court wouldn't be able to consider it in the direct appeal.
A U.S. court also would not be able to decide whether she was guilty or not. Instead, they would review the evidence to determine if it was "legally sufficient", which basically means whether there was sufficient evidence to support the verdict. The court cannot make its own credibility decisions, but assumes the jury found the witnesses credible. Such review is extremely limited, and few cases are ever reversed on this basis.
So the short answer to the question is that she would still be in prison, and would probably be there for the rest of her sentence. Evidence of faulty test results could be presented in a writ of habeas corpus, but it is doubtful that would be enough - especially since the state still claimed there was nothing wrong with the DNA testing. The only time relief is granted in those situations is where the expert agrees they made a mistake, or there is no doubt about it. Clearly that was not the situation here.
It sucks to be convicted anywhere, but luckily for Amanda Knox she at least got convicted in a system that is designed to catch mistakes. We can probably learn a lesson from that.
