Indonesia Finds Australian Guilty in Drug Case

**troung** · 27 May 05,, 21:02

Indonesian Court Finds Australian Guilty in Drug Case

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/arti...00010000000001

BALI, Indonesia (May 27) -- An Australian woman was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday for smuggling nine pounds of marijuana onto Indonesia's Bali island, prompting her mother to shout ''Liar!'' at the judge and her nation's prime minister to express sympathy.

Schapelle Corby, 27, wept as the verdict was announced in a case. She could have faced the death penalty, but prosecutors requested a life sentence.

Corby's mother, Rosleigh Rose, yelled out, ''Liar! Liar!'' and had to be restrained in the front row of the courtroom gallery. Other relatives shouted, ''We are going to get you home! We love you!''

Corby turned to her tearful parents and mouthed, ''Just relax. It's OK.''

Corby's case was closely watched in Australia, where actor Russell Crowe said last month that photographs of the beauty school student during her trial ''broke my heart.''

Australia had pressed Jakarta to avoid a death penalty and allow her to serve any prison sentence back home.

After the verdict was announced, the Australian government offered to send two senior lawyers to help Corby's appeal and said it would begin negotiating with Jakarta on a prisoner transfer pact.

''Guilty or innocent, I feel for this young woman,'' Prime Minister John Howard said. ''I ask that we all pause and understand the situation and recognize and respect that when we visit other countries we are subject to the laws and rules of those countries.''

Corby was arrested in October after airport authorities found the marijuana in her surfboard bag as she arrived on Bali for a family holiday.

Corby's lawyers alleged the drugs were planted by airport baggage handlers in Australia as part of a drug-smuggling operation and that they ended up in Bali by mistake

But judges at the Denpasar District Court said the defense produced no convincing evidence to support that claim.

Judge Wayan Suastrawan noted that customs officers testified that Corby looked ''nervous'' and ''tried not to open the bag'' when asked to by customs officials, adding: ''Judges are of the opinion that the accused imported marijuana. She was arrested red-handed at the airport.''

Before the hearing, Corby's lawyers said she was ''terrified.''

''She's probably the worst I've ever seen her,'' lawyer Robin Tampoe told Australian television's Nine Network. ''She tries to put on a brave face but there was a lot of crying.''

After the judges issued the sentence, Corby was allowed to hug her weeping parents before being led away to jail by about 20 police officers.

Outside the courtroom, Corby's sister, Mercedes, said the family would appeal the verdict.

''This is not fair,'' she yelled. ''We will get Schapelle home.''

Corby could have faced a maximum penalty of death under Indonesia's tough anti-drug laws, which do not distinguish between marijuana and harder drugs like heroin or cocaine. It was unclear if prosecutors, who had requested a life sentence for Corby, also were planning to appeal the verdict as permitted under Indonesian law.

Corby drew little sympathy or media attention in Indonesia, where the government is under pressure to crack down on rampant illegal drug use that kills scores of young, mostly poor people each year.

Indonesia, which like Australia, imprisons scores of foreigners for drug smuggling each year, says it sees no need to grant Corby any special exemptions. Her plight could complicate improving relations between the two neighboring countries in the fight against terrorism and in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami in December.

05/27/05 08:46 EDT

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Cry me a river....

**Amled** · 27 May 05,, 21:40

There is something weird about this case. It doesn’t really make sense. Even though my information regarding this case consists solely from what can be garnered from the media and the Net, one fact stands out clear as day. That is why on earth anyone would try to smuggle marijuana into Indonesia? That’s like smuggling cocaine into Columbia, or opium into Afghanistan. Didn’t the police or the prosecution see the dichotomy in this?
Never mind that she is a sweet young thing who’s never been in trouble with the authorities before, that means squat, the same could be said for a lot of first time offenders

**troung** · 27 May 05,, 21:46

Never mind that she is a sweet young thing who’s never been in trouble with the authorities before, that means squat, the same could be said for a lot of first time offenders

Well 9lbs of drugs is nothing to sneeze at...

Justice hits a lot harder in some places around the world...

**Leader** · 27 May 05,, 21:48

20 years seems like an injustice to me. I'm all for punishing criminals harshly, but they're giving the death penalty to people smuggling 9 lbs. of pot in to the county. Not good.

**Bill** · 27 May 05,, 22:34

Then don't live there.

That's the law in Indonesia, and if you don't like it, don't smuggle drugs into their country.

There is no injustice here at all.

**troung** · 27 May 05,, 22:38

We would throw the book to the maxium of the legal system if she came in here with 9lbs of drugs. It would not even be a story. Hell I'm sure in some places one coudl get life for that. And it would not even be a story.

Any guesses why an Australian lady bringing drugs into Indonesia, getting arrested and found guilty in a court of law is some tragety....

**Leader** · 27 May 05,, 22:47

Originally Posted by M21Sniper

Then don't live there.

That's the law in Indonesia, and if you don't like it, don't smuggle drugs into their country.

There is no injustice here at all.

What if the crime was denouncing the government instead of drug smuggling, would you make the same argument?

**Leader** · 27 May 05,, 22:51

Originally Posted by troung

We would throw the book to the maxium of the legal system if she came in here with 9lbs of drugs. It would not even be a story. Hell I'm sure in some places one coudl get life for that. And it would not even be a story.

Any guesses why an Australian lady bringing drugs into Indonesia, getting arrested and found guilty in a court of law is some tragety....

I don't believe justice is a relative thing. If one county gives you the death penalty for a crime and another gives you a $50 fine, at least one of the countries handing out unjust punishments.

**troung** · 27 May 05,, 22:53

What if the crime was denouncing the government instead of drug smuggling, would you make the same argument?

But its not. Drug running is not like discorse.

And these days they aren't gunning people down anymore for talking bad about the government. Not like they gave that Aussie idoit who flew there in 2003 to protest the Aceh operation the death penatly...

Were that lady here with that much drugs she could very well get a similar punishment...

**troung** · 27 May 05,, 23:01

I don't believe justice is a relative thing. If one county gives you the death penalty for a crime and another gives you a $50 fine, at least one of the countries handing out unjust punishments.

It's not unjust she got 20 years for 9lbs of drugs. We would more then likely give a similar term.

Hell it is only a story because she happens to be a female that looks different from the locals. If she got 20 years in the USA for the same charge it would be no story just another criminal behind bars.

If she were Dutch and had 9lbs of drugs in Texas her defense that in her nation it is legal would be laughed out of court. The book would get thrown at her.

And hell her family wants her to get off like Indonesian laws are some sort of joke you don't have to follow while there. They are a nation with laws that one follows while there not some playground were if you happen to be from a different nation and look different you don't have to follow. Basically don't commit crimes in another country if you can't take the punishment... she got off light looking at the options...

**Leader** · 27 May 05,, 23:02

Originally Posted by troung

But its not. Drug running is not like discorse.

My point is that stating that "that's the law, and if you don't like it, don't do the crime." Doesn't mean that the law is just or in this case that the punishment is not an injustice.

And these days they aren't gunning people down anymore for talking bad about the government. Not like they gave that Aussie idoit who flew there in 2003 to protest the Aceh operation the death penatly...

I was not making a argument about a factual law that Indonesia may or may not have.

Were that lady here with that much drugs she could very well get a similar punishment...

"...and therefore the punishment is just?" I don't agree with that line of reasoning.

**Leader** · 27 May 05,, 23:11

Originally Posted by troung

It's not unjust she got 20 years for 9lbs of drugs. We would more then likely give a similar term.

What does that prove. Your implicit assumption is that all US laws are just. The Indonesian law is not just simply because she would get a similar punishment in the US.

Hell it is only a story because she happens to be a female that looks different from the locals. If she got 20 years in the USA for the same charge it would be no story just another criminal behind bars.

While I agree, I don't see how this makes the punishment just either.

If she were Dutch and had 9lbs of drugs in Texas her defense that in her nation it is legal would be laughed out of court. The book would get thrown at her.

""

And hell her family wants her to get off like Indonesian laws are some sort of joke you don't have to follow while there. They are a nation with laws that one follows while there not some playground were if you happen to be from a different nation and look different you don't have to follow. Basically don't commit crimes in another country if you can't take the punishment... she got off light looking at the options...

I'm not saying the punishment is unjust because it was applied to an Australian. I'm saying it's unjust, period.

**troung** · 27 May 05,, 23:47

I was not making a argument about a factual law that Indonesia may or may not have.

Just had to make sure, they are AIs favorite punching bag...

My point is that stating that "that's the law, and if you don't like it, don't do the crime." Doesn't mean that the law is just or in this case that the punishment is not an injustice.

Somebody protesting for freedom and getting stomped on is totally different then drug smuggling.

I'm not saying the punishment is unjust because it was applied to an Australian. I'm saying it's unjust, period.

Personally I don't see anything wrong with it.

**Leader** · 28 May 05,, 00:03

Originally Posted by troung

Somebody protesting for freedom and getting stomped on is totally different then drug smuggling.

Drug smuggling is "totally different" then any other crime by its very nature as a distinct crime. The question is whether this person got a just sentence. If she did, it isn't because "that's the law, and if you don't like it, don't do the crime" because if I changed the law to prohibit "protesting for freedom" and the punishment to "getting stomped on," it would be clearly unjust.

Personally I don't see anything wrong with it.

And personally, I do.

**troung** · 28 May 05,, 00:15

And personally, I do.

So what would you think would be right had you been an Indonesian judge?

The question is whether this person got a just sentence. If she did, it isn't because "that's the law, and if you don't like it, don't do the crime" because if I changed the law to prohibit "protesting for freedom" and the punishment to "getting stomped on," it would be clearly unjust.

Well she got a fair trail, she didn't even get the maximum. If she didn't get a fair trail that would be one thing.

As for laws that voilate rights like peace protests that is one thing I could get behind but transnational drug smuggling is a good thing to keep illegal.