American student Amanda Knox was convicted in 2009 of murdering her British flatmate during a drug-fueled sex game in the Italian university town of Perugia. Now her parents are to stand trial for libel for alleging their daughter was beaten by Italian police.

In an interview with Britain's Sunday Times before their daughter's conviction, Curt Knox and Edda Mellas said she "had not been given an interpreter, had not received food and water and had been physically and verbally abused" by the police.

Curt Knox said Amanda was hit on the back of the head several times and warned that "things will get worse" if she requested an attorney.

Police have denied abuse

The parents' trial is set for July 2, while Amanda, who faces the same charges, is set to stand trial in May. The police officers involved have denied they were abusive.

Meredith Kercher was found half naked and with her throat slashed on the floor of the apartment she shared with Amanda Knox in November 2007.

Knox and her then-boyfriend, Italian Rafael Sollecito and a third person, Rudy Guede, were all convicted of Kercher's murder. Sollecito and Knox are appealing their convictions.

Author: Holly Fox (AFP, dpa)
Editor: Martin Kuebler