Ex-suspect in Knox case given damages

ROME — A Congolese man held for two weeks in jail during Italy's investigation into the slaying of a British student has been awarded 8,000 euros (about $10,500) in damages by the Italian state, his lawyer said Monday.

Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was detained after another suspect, student Amanda Knox, of Seattle, implicated him in the November 2007 slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia.

Knox, a University of Washington student, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial for the murder.

Ivorian national Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of murder last year in the case and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Lumumba, who has always denied wrongdoing, was released from jail Nov. 20, 2007, for lack of evidence and has been cleared of any involvement.

He had sued the Italian state for about $670,000. His lawyer said the damages awarded Monday by the court in Perugia were unsatisfactory and that Lumumba would appeal.

"We consider this amount unfair for all the damage he's suffered," lawyer Carlo Pacelli said. "In a second his image as a man, as a father and husband has been completely destroyed."

The two suspects still on trial also deny wrongdoing.

Knox at one point told investigators she was home during the killing and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams while Lumumba killed her, according to court documents.

Separately, Lumumba is seeking defamation damages from Knox.

Knox once worked at a popular Perugia bar owned by Lumumba, which is now closed.