Though an Italian jury has handed down Amanda Knox's conviction, the case that has captured international attention is far from over, and is headed next for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington state appealed to Clinton, who has agreed to a meeting but has not commented on the case. Cantwell said there were "serious questions about the Italian justice system" and expressed concerns about anti-American sentiment at the trial. Knox, a 22-year-old from Washington, was sentenced to 26 years in Italian prison for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher. Knox's Italian lawyer reacted to the news by saying, "That's all we need, Hillary Clinton involved. I have the same political sympathies as Hillary but this sort of thing does not help us in any way."