The man serving a 16-year prison sentence for the murder of a British exchange student in Italy has received a 36-hour release for good behavior.
Rudy Guede — the only person definitively convicted for Meredith Kercher’s 2008 murder after the acquittal of Seattle-native Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend — is scheduled to be sprung from Viterbo’s Mammagialla prison Wednesday morning, and return to the slammer Friday evening, The Local reported.
“I will be able to feel the sun on my skin and be able to look out of the window without bars in front of my eyes,” Guede, 29, told La Repubblica.
“Thirty-six hours, each one of them precious – I thank everybody who has had faith in me,” the Ivory Coast-born man added.
The decision was made by a probate court in Rome, which overturned an initial decision by a court in Viterbo.
Knox, 28, was convicted, acquitted, again convicted and finally acquitted — along with ex-flame Rafaelle Sollecito — in March 2015.
Guede has denied playing any role in the murder and claims to have been a scapegoat.
Knox, who last week was granted the right to an appeal against the Italian state for allegedly subjecting her to an unfair trial, was upset by Guede’s temporary release.
“I’m upset by the fact that Guede has never shown any remorse and hope that whoever granted him permission (to take temporary release) did so only as part of a social-reintegration program,” she told La Republica.
Guede, who has already served eight years in prison, will be eligible for parole in 2018.