(see previous story on site). (ANSA) - Perugia, December 7 - Amanda Knox has asked to work in the laundry of the Perugia prison where she has started serving her 26-year sentence for killing former house-mate Meredith Kercher, members of her family told reporters after visiting her Monday.

They said she had also written to the university of Washingon, her home state, to continue studying for a degree in languages.

"I don't want to lose my life," they said she told them.

Amanda was said to be "determined".

"She realizes she has to keep fighting but also that she has to keep calm in prison, to stay level-headed. That's why she's asked to work and resume her studies".

Distancing themselves from a US media and political outcry against Italian justice, they told ANSA Knox had had a fair trial.

But they added "in our opinion it proved her innocence" and the sentence was "a big mistake".

As for Washington Senator Maria Cantwell, who called the verdict evidence of "anti-Americanism" and has asked to talk to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, they said: "We aren't guiding the politicians".

The campaign against the Italian justice system was the result of "independent" initiatives, they said.

Knox's father Curt is set to return to the United States in the next few days but her mother Edda Mellas will stay in Perugia as her relatives keep up regular visits to make sure her morale doesn't collapse, they said.

Mellas said people in Perugia and other parts of Italy were also sympathising with her daughter.

"We say thank you to all of them," she said.

Curt Knox said the family was confident that "her innocence will be proven on appeal".

He also said an "independent work group" had looked at the DNA evidence presented at the trial and "confirmed the conclusions" of the defence that forensics teams had made mistakes and accidentally contaminated it.

A lawyer for the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca, told reporters: "We are stunned by the strong reaction from American public opinion".

The Kerchers, who voiced "surprise" at the US reaction at the weekend, made no further statement Monday.

A lawyer for Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who was sentenced to 25 years, said he had found him "very psychologically affected" at the high-security jail near Perugia where he has been moved.

"When am I going to get out?" the lawyer said Sollecito had repeatedly asked him.

Earlier Monday Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said he could rule out any bid by Clinton to discuss the case with him, stressing that she had not criticised the verdict.

The US embassy in Rome said it was following the case but it was not its policy to discuss the Italian legal system.