Italy’s highest court has decided to keep Amanda Knox’s slander conviction in place, marking the latest chapter in a legal drama that began over 15 years ago. Knox, an American who was famously acquitted of the 2007 murder of her British roommate Meredith Kercher, remains tied to the case due to her false accusation against her former boss, Patrick Lumumba.

Back in 2007, Knox, then just 20 years old, signed statements prepared by police accusing Lumumba of Kercher’s murder. Lumumba was arrested and spent two weeks in jail before being released due to a lack of evidence. The ordeal cost him his business, a club called Le Chic, which shut down soon after.

Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were initially convicted of Kercher’s murder but were later acquitted after a series of appeals. However, the slander charge stuck. In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Knox’s rights were violated during the interrogation that led to her false accusation. Despite this, an Italian court in Florence upheld the slander conviction earlier this year, leading to Thursday’s final decision by the high court.

Knox, who didn’t attend the hearing, took to social media to share her thoughts. She criticized the police for their handling of the case and hinted at sharing more updates soon. Meanwhile, Lumumba, who was present at the hearing, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that Knox’s actions had lasting consequences for his life.

Knox has acknowledged her regret over not retracting the accusation sooner, describing herself as a “young person in an existential crisis” at the time. While she won’t face additional jail time, the conviction remains a shadow over her life.

This decision closes one of the final legal chapters in a case that has captivated international attention for years.