Italian prosecutor in Amanda Knox trial targets West Seattle newspaper

The Italian prosecutor in the Amanda Knox trial has told the British Broadcasting Corp. that he is bringing a defamation lawsuit against a West Seattle community newspaper for its coverage of unflattering comments about him made by Knox's supporters.

Giuliano Mignini told the BBC he has started a legal action against the West Seattle Herald for reporting in an online story that some of Knox's supporters have said Mignini is "mentally unstable."

The same online story, posted Jan. 30, said Knox's backers accuse Mignini of using the murder trial to "improve his own dicey reputation and further his career."

Amanda Knox and her Italian boyfriend are accused of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in 2007. Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are scheduled to appear in court again on Friday when four British friends of Kercher are expected to take the stand.

The West Seattle Herald story in question covered a "Friends of Amanda" rally organized to help raise funds for the University of Washington student's defense.

Mignini told the BBC: "These are allegations from 9,000 kilometers away from people who have no knowledge of me and to whom I have never spoken."

Mignini, who said Knox's supporters are improperly trying to influence the trial, said, "I am quite a healthy man. I don't go to the doctor much and I have never visited a psychologist."

The editor of the West Seattle Herald could not be reached for comment.