First hearing begins in co-ed death case
The court hearing in Perugia was the first chance for Kercher's family to come face-to-face with two of the suspects, U.S. student Amanda Knox, 21, and Ivory Coast immigrant Rudy Guede, also 21, The Times of London reported.
Not present in the courtroom was a third suspect, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, who prosecutors say was Knox's boyfriend and who allegedly conspired with her and Guede to sexually assault and kill Kercher last November.
Kercher's parents, John and Arline Kercher, and sister Stephanie arrived Monday for the hearing and looked somber as they entered the court, the newspaper said. Unnamed court sources told The Times a decision on a trial date may not be made until next month.
At a news conference, Stephanie Kercher told reporters, "Each time we arrive in Perugia we wish we were here for a different reason. Perugia is definitely a place of culture, a beautiful place to meet people and learn. We only wish (Meredith) had had more time before being brutally taken from us."
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