A prosecutor in the Amanda Knox trial in Perugia, Italy, argued on Friday that a “parallel trial” has been taking place in the media, aimed only at destroying the work of investigators.

Knox, a 22-year-old from Seattle, is on trial for murder and sexual assault along with her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. They are charged with the grisly killing of English student Meredith Kercher, who was stabbed to death in November of 2007.

“There’s been a media trial in which the elements that came out in the courtroom have disappeared,” said prosecutor Giuliano Mignini in his closing arguments.

“Bloggers, mystery writers and detectives trying to become famous have carried a kind of parallel trial,” Mignini said. “But the trial takes place only in this room.”

While the English press has followed the case closely, Mignini was primarily criticizing the Americans, who have come out largely in defense of Amanda, and in particular what the called the “Seattle party.”

Mignini appeared to be responding to charges that Knox and Sollecito were getting railroaded by prosecutors determined to find a guilty party. Critics have also charged that forensic work placing the two to the crime scene has been shoddy.

The prosecution has made much of a break-in at the cottage that Kercher and Knox shared, claiming it was staged, and merely a clumsy attempt by Knox and Sollecito to hide their own guilt.

Mignini also took aim at Knox for having accused a man she knew was innocent. The first person arrested in the case was bar owner Patrick Lumumba, but he was released from jail after providing an airtight alibi.

Knox and Sollecito have already served more than two years in prison. If convicted, they could face life sentences.

A third defendant, Ivory Coast native Rudy Guede, was convicted after opting for a fast-track trial, and is serving a 30-year-sentence.

A verdict for Knox and Sollecito is expected in early December.