Amanda Knox: Iâ€™ll be a fugitive

Amanda Knox risks extradition to Italy if she leaves the United States following her new murder conviction by an appeals court in Florence.

In the US, many who followed the seven-year case view her as the victim of an out-of-control legal process. She'll have a very good chance of persuading the State Department to reject an extradition request, legal experts said.

But if Knox travels to any of the dozens of countries that have extradition treaties with Italy, she'll likely be sent back to face trial.

That includes Canada, a two-hour ferry ride from her Seattle home — as well as Mexico, most of Europe and South America.

Knox made it clear she won't voluntarily return to Italy.

"I will never willingly go back . . . Legally, I'll be a fugitive," she told ABC's "Good Morning America."

She said she was shocked by the decision by the eight-person appeals jury to convict her of murdering her fellow exchange student Meredith Kercher in 2007.

"It really hit me like a train," she said.

Italian authorities made no immediate move to secure her return — but they seized the passport of her co-defendant and former boyfriend after he briefly left the country.

Officials said Raffaele Sollecito drove 250 miles from Italy to Austria on Thursday afternoon while the appeals court was about to reconvict him.

His lawyer, Luca Maori, said Sollecito wasn't trying to flee justice but only wanted to be with his new girlfriend, who lives in the Italy-Austrian border area. Maori said Sollecito voluntarily went to Italian police to surrender his passport and ID papers.

But a local police official, Massimiliano Ortolan, said police were tipped off that Sollecito had checked into a hotel in Venzone, on the Italian side of the border — and had to wake him and his girlfriend up Friday morning and bring him to a police station.

Ortolan noted Venzone is close to the Italian border with Slovenia and Austria.

The United States has had an extradition treaty with Italy since 1984 and has denied at least several requests since then.

A spokeswoman said the State Department is monitoring the case as it works its way through the Italian legal system. That process is expected to take as long as a year.

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The presiding judge Alessandro Nencini, center, reads the judgment of the Court of Appeals for the verdict of the Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito retrial, Florence.

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During an interview with Robin Roberts, Amanda Knox vowed to fight her murder conviction.

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The judgment is overturned in Meredith Kercher's murder case, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are found guilty.

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From left: Meredith Kercher's sister Stephanie Kercher, brother Lyle Kercher and lawyer Francesco Maresca speak to the press at the Star Hotel the day after the final verdict of the Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito retrial at the Courthouse of Florence on Jan. 31.

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Amanda Knox acknowledges the cheers of supporters while her mother Edda Mellas comforts her in Seattle, Washington. Knox arrived back in hometown of Seattle, WA from Rome, Italy after she and ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito won the appeal against the conviction in 2009 of killing their British roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy .

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Amanda Knox speaks at a news conference shortly after her arrival at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle.

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An emotional Amanda Knox enters a press conference in Seattle, Washington. Knox arrived back in hometown of Seattle, WA from Rome, Italy after she and ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito won the appeal against the conviction in 2009 of killing their British roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy.

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Amanda Knox with Italian senior police official, Antonio del Greco (R) next to her arrives at Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome, Italy, preparing to leave for Seattle, via London on a British Airways flight. Knox was acquitted of murder and sexual assault by an Italian appeal court after spending four years in custody over the killing of her British housemate Meredith Kercher.

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Amanda Knox's smiles at the Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome. Knox was cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher, on Tuesday thanked supporters who believed in her innocence as she prepared to return home to the United States after four years in jail.

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Amanda Knox smiles at the Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Fiumicino Tuesday. Knox, cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher, thanked supporters who believed in her innocence as she prepared to return home to Seattle after four years in jail.

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Amanda Knox's as she leaves the Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome, Italy.

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Amanda Knox is accompanied by Italian senior police official, Antonio del Greco (R) as she departure the Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome, Italy.

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Amanda Knox's mother Edda waits at the check-in before departing the Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome.

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Amanda Knox, who spent nearly four years in jail after her roommate's murder, weeps with emotion after an Italian court set her free.

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People in the courtroom celebrate the verdict.

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Knox celebrates the verdict with a hug after the court cleared her.

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A woman reacts as she reads a newspaper article about the case.

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Relatives of Knox react as they hear the verdict during her appeal trial session in Perugia, Italy.

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Knox's mother Edda Mellas cries in Perugia's court after the verdict.

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Knox's aunt Janet Huff, reacts after hearing the verdict that overturns her niece's conviction.

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Knox collapsed in tears after the verdict was read.

Supporters of Knox listen as an Italian jury overturned her conviction for killing a British student.

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Knox's sister hugs a supporter in Perugia's Court of Appeal after the verdict.

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Deanna Knox and father Curt Knox speak to the media from Perugia's Court of Appeal.

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Knox reacts in shock to news of her newfound freedom.

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Amanda Knox breaks in tears after hearing the verdict that overturns her conviction and acquits her of murdering her British roommate Meredith Kercher, at the Perugia court, central Italy.

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Amanda Knox breaks in tears as she is taken away after hearing the verdict that overturns her conviction and acquits her of murdering her British roommate Meredith Kercher.

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Supporters of Amanda Knox (L to R) John Lang, Kellanne Henry and Margaret Ralph celebrate in a hotel after an Italian jury overturned of Knox's conviction for killing British student Meredith Kercher.

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Amanda Knox cries as she walks away after hearing the verdict that overturns her conviction and acquits her of murder.

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Amanda Knox cries as she walks away after hearing the verdict that overturns her conviction and acquits her of murder.

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Italian lawyer lawyer Maria Del Grosso, right, hugs Amanda Knox after the verdict that overturns her conviction and acquits her of murder.

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A penitentiary police officer smiles as she escorts Amanda Knox out of court after an Italian jury convicted the American student of murdering her British roommate.

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American student Amanda Knox reacts to an Italian jury convicting her of 26 years in prison for the murder and sexual assault of her British roommate Meredith Kercher more than two years ago while studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region.

EPA

Meredith Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Amanda Knox. Prosecutors sought life sentences, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both had pleaded innocent.

EPA

The day before deliberations began, the former University of Washington student made an emotional appeal in which she said she was not a murderer and didn't want to have "the mask of an assassin" forced onto her. "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she told the jurors, speaking in near-perfect Italian.

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Amanda Knox before hearing the final verdict.

Amanda Knox arriving for the last day of trial.

EPA

Amanda Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito also was convicted.

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