Woman involved in 2010 Edgewood ‘Craigslist killing’ resentenced
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - One of the people sentenced in the so-called Craigslist killing in 2010 was back in court on Friday for a re-sentencing hearing. Amanda Knight was sentenced to more than 70 years for murder, robbery and assault. She has been in prison since 2011, but her murder conviction has now been overturned.
Amanda Knight walked into a courtroom packed with the same faces she saw the last time she was sentenced 14 years ago. Investigators said she and three others went to the Edgewood home of Jim Sanders under the guise of trying to buy a diamond ring he listed on Craigslist. Instead, they terrorized the family, tying up Sanders, his wife, and their two sons. One of the other suspects shot and killed Jim.
"We feel like she is the one who orchestrated this whole thing, she is the one who made the phone calls, who gained entrance to the home, she is the one who physically tied them up while they were at gunpoint," Derek Sanders, Jim’s brother said.
He can’t believe he’s back at this court all these years later. "It’s very frustrating," Sanders said.
The prosecutor’s office said Friday’s re-sentencing essentially boils down to the jury instructions given at trial and which robbery or attempted robbery was the grounds for the felony murder charge. The Washington State Supreme Court ruled there wasn't enough evidence to back up Knight’s murder conviction in the way it was originally presented to the jury.
During Friday’s hearing, an expert witness testified about Knight’s mental state at the time. They say that, at the age of 21, her brain was not fully developed. Sander’s wife then addressed the court.
"How could she think for even a second that she has nothing to do with my husband’s death when she set this all up," Sanders’ wife said.
The emotions were just as raw as they were 14 years ago.
"Amanda Knight is a liar, Amanda Knight is selfish, Amanda Knight is a murderer," Derek Sanders said. Knight then talked in court. "Today I’m sitting here, and I can’t say I deserve that forgiveness, but I do ask for mercy," Knight said.
As she talked through tears, the family of the victim also had tears of their own.
"A therapist told me everybody lost somebody different that day. I lost a brother, the kids lost a father, Charlene lost a husband, but my folks lost a child, and you’re not supposed to see your children die before you do," Derek Sanders said. "Whatever we come away with today, we have to be okay with."
The judge re-sentenced Knight to 390 months total which is 32-and-a-half years. This will include the 14 years she has served already.
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