A little harsh?

[Jake]

Updated: 01:30 PM EDT
Indonesian Court Finds Australian Guilty in Drug Case
BY CHRIS BRUMMITT, AP


Getty Images
Schappelle Corby was arrested in October after authorities found marijuana in her surfboard bag as she arrived on Bali.

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

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article ... 0000000001

[Fios]

I am a fierce advocate of drug legalization but, that being said, Indonesia is famous, or rather infamous, for the austerity of its drug laws. That is the last country I'd travel to with drugs on my person. Helllllllllll no.
Do I find the sentence to be unecessarily harsh? Yes. Is it the responsobility of the person travelling (I ain't buying the somebody put it im my luggae thing) to know what the drug laws are like in Idonesia? Yes.

[Skinsfan55]

I'm not for legalization, but this is a pretty tough sentance...

That said, what the heck was she doing bringing NINE POUNDS of pot into a Indonesia?!?!?!

Surely that's not for personal use, did she think that since drugs were so hard to come by in Indonesia she would be able to sell drugs for a better profit??

In either case I hope her sentance is reduced somewhat, but she should have at least, AT LEAST 5 years in jail IMO.

[Fios]

I should qualify that statement, I am actually for the decriminilization of drugs, something akin to what they have in Amsterdam. Wholesale legalization is not sensible. But neither are the current, draconian drug laws. I'm an advocate of reaching a moderated, happy medium.

[Redskin in Canada]

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.''

When a lawyer makes the defense proposed in the first paragraph above, it has to have evidence to support it. They did not have it apparently according to the second paragraph.

The third paragraph means nothing. ANY of us would be terrified to be questioned and pressed to open our bags anywhere, including the good old US of A.

Two sides:

1) If she is innocent and the drugs were planted, this is a tragedy. It can be obtained but it will be very difficult to handle her deportation to Australia.

2) If she is actually guilty then she got away with one of the most lenient sentences under the circumstances. A death penalty is often the most likely sentence for those charged with drug smuggling in the South East Asia region (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc).

Two lessons:

a) Say no to drugs and

b) wrap your non carry-on bags and suitcases when you travel -anywhere- by plane.

[Redskin in Canada]

I'm an advocate of reaching a moderated, happy medium.

Problem is: You can de-criminalise in one State at a time. Those traveling with the stuff to other countries would be jailed and even sentenced to death.

Some legalisation is indispensable. I agree that it is VERY important to remove the criminal element from the drug trade. Drug Cartels have a tremendous amount of power in many parts of Asia and Latin America. the distribution networks in North America and Europe (including Russia) are extremely sophisticated criminal operations. They preactically untouchable. (No pun intended vis-a-vis the Al Capone operation).

But legalisation has almost no possibility to fly in today's western society, particularly the House and the Senate, let alone the Executive Branch of your government.

[Fios]

Oh I don't expect to see any sweeping changes in drug policy on a federal level in my lifetime because the mostly ineffective anti-drug industry is a behemoth. But I'm still going to adocate change because the U.S. plays a particularly unique roll in this mess as the largest consumer of illegal drugs.

[SkinsFanInHawai'i]

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.''

I think she got what she deserved. She should have know the laws of that country.

Wasn't there a movie similar to this situation. I think it was called "Return to Paradise". The guys in that movie got the death penalty.

[Chris Luva Luva]

I do have some sympathy for her but in some ways I don't.

Death penalty? What would the drug situation be like in American if we did such a thing? I know that my brother would most certainly have been put to death.

[SKINZ_DOMIN8]

She should have been beheaded right then and there.

[Amberion]

I dont know how much the press has followed this case over there but in Oz ithas been front page stuff

1) as to whether she is guilty or not only she can know for sure - but the judges refused to accept any testimony from anyone about the subject of swapping the luggage in Australia. There have been several cases here of baggage handlers going through peoples baggage and taking things from the baggage

2) The judges have been shown here (during hearings) joking and talking with each other and reading books, you would think they would at least pay attention to the testimony

3) as to the sentence - this seems to be excessive when compared to the Bali bombers whe got a lesser sentance and they were directly responsible for the death of over 300 people

[Warmother]

Your right Amberion when you kill that many people and get off easier than somebody with some pot seems a bit wacked.
Being that she lives in that part of the world and would try and sneak that amount of dope into Indonisia doesn't seem to bright. I'd think if she was really trying to get drugs into the country she could have had a better hiding place.

[Punu]

I'm sorry man but that is toooooo harsh of a sentence for that.

[Justice Hog]

Well, in this country we can thank the 8th and 14th Amendments which prevent us from receiving such a harsh sentence for a similar crime. When traveling to other countries, however, you just have to be aware that their laws/penalties can be (and likely will be) harsher than ours.

If you're stupid enough to take drugs into another country like that, then you're stupid enough to face the death penalty, or life sentence.

Are those penalties "over the top" for this type of crime? In my opinion....absolutley yes.

Am I surprised by this? Absolutley no.

The only way I would feel any sadness for this girl is if her claims that the drugs were not hers were accurate. I don't know the facts (as none of us do, really), but if that's the case.....then life sucks for her right about now. I hope her appeal is successful.

If those drugs were hers......cya later sister.

[Smithian]

Ricky Williams - "Note to self; don't go to Indonesia."

[Gibbs' Hog]

Not that I purport to know the situation any better than anyone else, but everything I have read about this case over the past couple months has tragedy written all over it.

First of all, why would a young surfer-lady bring 9 pounds of ganj to a neighboring country - that she most likely knew had death-penalty laws for drug smuggling? It seems very odd that anyone would simply stuff that quantity of drugs in a surfboard bag and try to walk it through customs; especially while being aware of the potential consequences.

I believe I am correct in pointing out that this girl had no past criminal record, and did she pass a drug test upon being caught? Not that that would matter so much, but drug smugglers (especially with that amount) probably tend to not be completely clean themselves.

It is unfortunate that she was caught smuggling drugs - the support that her home country has given to her case should make any civil-minded being question the validity of the charges brought against her. I'm sure there have been other Australians who have been caught smuggling drugs there - and rightly received justice without a fight from the Australian government.

[JansenFan]

One thing of note from your post GH. IMO only stupid drug dealers do drugs, and I doubt that 9 pounds of pot on a trip abroad is for usage.

Whether or not she did it, beats me. I just wanted to point out that a drug test is not a reliable way to determine whether they were hers or not.

[Gibbs' Hog]

Agreed.

Although I wasn't trying to say that passing a drug test would prove her innocence. I guess I just feel like if she didn't get to present her entire case, and some testimony, evidence, etc. was witheld, then a clean bill of health and a clean criminal record could at least help indicate that there are potential irregularities in this case.

I'm not any more knowledgable than the other person with regards to this case, but the amount of support I have seen this girl get (yeah, Russell Crowe; but from the Australian govn't more importantly) just makes me feel like there is more to this story that we do not know. An entire government does not usually support a convicted drug dealer/smuggler without good reason.

I'm sure this sort of case happens all the time over there, and I've rarely heard about it. The fact that this story has consistently made headlines for a couple months leads me to believe that this case may not have been handled fairly and/or with enough investigative work.

Normally, I read and analyze these cases with an objective mind; which has been tough to do with all of the reports I've read about suspected foul play.

[frankcal20]

What is crazy is that there was a car bombing in indonesia and the caught the person who did it. They got 20 months in jail and killed dozens of people. Seems as though they are confussed.

[Gibbs' Hog]

What is crazy is that there was a car bombing in indonesia and the caught the person who did it. They got 20 months in jail and killed dozens of people. Seems as though they are confussed.

...which just adds to the fact that this case is odd.

Indonesia and Australia have their differences, and it seems like Indonesia was only trying to make an example out of this girl (possibly because of where she's from, possibly not). And if the trial was not completely fair - which seems to be the case - I can only have sympathy for this girl's position.

[hailskins666]

note to self: stay the hell away from indonesia. wonder what the penalty is for a speeding ticket.

[JansenFan]

castration.

[Gibbs' Hog]

ouch!