Rudy Guede, the only man definitively convicted in the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher, is returning to court. This time, he will be fighting extremely serious new charges. Guede was released from Viterbo’s penitentiary in 2021 after serving 13 years for Kercher’s murder. Now, he’s defending against multiple allegations of sexual assault and other violence by a former girlfriend, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 4, 2023.
His former girlfriend, a 25-year-old woman from Viterbo, has accused Guede of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. Guede and the woman became romantically involved with him still serving time. It came crashing down in 2023 after she filed criminal charges against him. Anonymous sources reportedly told the New York Times that the indictment contains “overt and direct evidence.” It holds more than 100,000 photos, thousands of chats and audio messages between Guede and victim.
Guede’s lawyer, Carlo Mezzetti, maintains his client’s innocence in the new allegations. Mezzetti’s comments raised the specter of a fair trial for Guede, whose conviction for Kercher’s murder was well-publicized and high-profile. This conviction continues to shape Guede’s public persona and will likely color views leading into the resumed proceedings next month.
Rudy Guede, now 38 and a native of the Ivory Coast but an Italian citizen since age 18, had lived in Italy since age 5. Guede was then convicted in absentia and subsequently arrested for the brutal murder of Meredith Kercher, sentenced to 30 years in prison in October 2008. In 2021, Guede’s sentence was further shortened after the ruling of an appeal. Good behavior resulted in an early release and he soon found employment in Viterbo.
The new trial will be held in a climate loaded with public scrutiny given Guede’s notorious history. Investigating magistrate Rita Cialoni has ordered Guede to stand trial after a preliminary hearing in Viterbo on Friday. In particular, the court must evaluate the significant evidence of harm introduced by the victim. That evidence will be incredibly important as the court considers the new charges he faces against him.
As the date of the first hearing approaches, everyone will scrutinize the details of the case that set precedent. They’re thinking about the broader justice implications and treatment of people with past convictions.