But a court-orderd review during the first appeal in Perugia, where the murder happened, discredited the DNA evidence. It said there were glaring errors in evidence-collecting and that below-standard testing and possible contamination raised doubts over the DNA traces linked to Kercher on yhe blade,as well as Sollecito's DNA on Kercher's bra clasp.
Sollecito, in an emotion 20-minute-long address to the court on Wednesday, said Knox was "my first real love in my life, even if it was very late". He acknowledge he hadn't taken seriously enough the accusation at the beginning because he was too caught up with his new romance with Knox to grasp to severity of the situation.
"Me and Amanda were living the dawn of carefree romance, and we wanted to be completely isolated in our love nest," Sollecito said. "It was a little fairy tale".
He said he had been living a nightmare, and he struggle with his composure as he pleaded with the court to acquit him.