Washington politicians hold briefing on Amanda Knox case

As the retrial for Amanda Knox unfolds in Italy, Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Adam Smith are keeping close watch on the case.

Today the two politicians from Washington state sponsored a briefing at the U.S. Capitol Visitor's Center to raise awareness about the trial.

Senator Cantwell has previously voiced concerns about whether the Italian justice system has treated Knox fairly. Today, Cantwell hosted a panel discussion of legal experts, one of whom is a retired Seattle judge who served with Cantwell in the state Senate.

Michael Heavey told the congressional staffers who attended the briefing that Italy was embarrassed when the appeals court threw out Knox's conviction in 2011, in part because that meant she had been wrongfully imprisoned for four years.

The Italian Supreme Court ordered the third trial, which is currently underway, after overturning Knox's acquittal last spring.

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