Schapelle Corby Drug smuggling to Indonesia

[theRealSheep 0]

I haven't been following the 'plight' of Schapelle Corby too closely. But we see today that she has been convicted by an Indonesian judge of smuggling drugs into Indonesia and sentenced to 20 years in jail plus a fine is to be paid.I know most Australian's feel that she is innocent, that the drugs were planted - most likely by baggage handlers, but I will say that until we get some decent facts about the case - I will not make a judgement myself if she is guilty or not. We must also remember that the Indonesian way of law is quite different to ours here in Australia. Obviously - with the evidence that has been given, you would not get an anonymous guilty verdict from a panel of jury members.Another complaint of mine, is the constant media scrutiny and apparent 'media exclusives' to the case. It's just news... not like it is a football game or something???Anyway, what do others think about the trial and the 'whole Corby saga'?

[Tyssen 0]

Well I initially thought she's been extremely hard done by and all the evidence that we've had access to in Oz seems to point to the baggage handler theory. But there's been a lot of stuff coming to light lately that kinda waters down some of the arguments for her case, one being that you wouldn't take marijuana to Bali - unless of course, it's the high-grade hydro that's grown here and not the sort of stuff grown in Indonesia. I'm sure more & more stuff is going to come out in coming weeks.If it turns out she did it, then while I do think 20 years or worse for smuggling marijuana is a ridiculous sentence, I do appreciate that SE Asian countries have a different on the matter. If she didn't do it, then I maintain the way I feel at the moment in that it's a terrible tragedy if she has to rot her life away in jail because of something somebody else did. As for all the boycotting of Indonesia stuff, I'm tending to fall on the side of agreeing with it at the moment, particularly after that scene at the court house early in the case where there people protesting for her to get the death penalty.To me, that's obscene - calling for the death of someone you don't know who has done nothing personally to you. I don't care if it's against the law, there's no way wishing death on someone for something like that is acceptable in anybody's culture.

[greendilim 0]

i feel sorry for Schapelle Corby :/Just think about it, 20 years in that dirty prison and the days in there must go for a long time... I believe shes inocent.. i dono y..

[FuChelle 0]

To me, from everything I've seen, I think she's innocent...but even if she is guilty, 20 years is a very long time just for smuggling drugs.Schappelle's said herself, she's been to Bali on a number of occassions, she knows the laws so why would she risk it? That would just be stupid. Plus she's never been conviceted of drug crimes before...so, yeah, I think she's innocent.I think it's unfair too that the courts wouldn't allow a lot of the evidence that would have pointed towards her innocence, like the letter from the Australian government saying there's talk of baggage handlers putting drugs in peoples baggage...they said it came too late. They didn't listen to the testimony that Schappelle made herself because she didn't say what they wanted to hear. To me, that is just unfair. If they're going to make a fair judgement then they should look at ALL of the evidence, not just what they want to look at.I actually think that they should have run fingerprints on the bag of drugs that was in her luggage so they could have avoided all this. Then they would have known for sure if she was innocent or guilty and dealt with it all properly, instead of just straight away accusing her of being guilty and having to find proof of her innocence...which they don't seem to want to listen to anyway.

[Shoobi 0]

umm i don't know but i think she is innocent because she was so eager to give her bags for checking and like, I don't know, .. why would such a girl through away her future like that?It all seems pretty suss.

[theRealSheep 0]

Off the topic slightly, but still about drug smuggling...I see the so called 'Bali Nine' made the news again today, where a few of the accused were forced to re-enact the alleged scenario of trying to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia at the Bali International Airport. What are other user's thoughts on these people? It seems to me, that they are guilty of the crime with video footage being taken with packages being removed from thier bodies by the police. Should they face the death sentence by the Indonesians? I'm leaning towards that they should. Given the climate of the Corby case being almost at it's peak at the time of the nine being arrested - I think it is quite clearly a stupid thing to do, notwithstanding that it is illegal and down-right stupid to smuggle drugs in the first place.

[Cool_Freaker 0]

I know what you mean theRealSheep. The Corby case was being publicised, and they decide to go and get paid a measly $10k to smuggle drugs. Really kinda stupid if you ask me.But don't you think the media has really covered the Corby case, perhaps too much? There have been Australians caught overseas for drugs before, but none have received the same kind of media treatment. Is it because she's a young female? I really feel they've tried to turn it into a huge drama - and while it is in a sense, I felt Corby should have some more privacy in the matter.Didn't Corby have some previous problems though? I heard she'd been convicted for something before - basically she doesn't have a squeaky clean past. I'm not saying she's guilty, but she may not be as innocent as all Australians are being led to believe. Anyway 20 years is relatively short in Indonesian terms, considering the crime. I think she should be at least glad for that, and hope her appeal doesn't screw it up any more.

[theRealSheep 0]

Freaker - You are right about the media coverage of the Corby case. There has been a lot said about how Schapelle is a young, attractive female which is getting her a lot of news coverage. Like you say, compared to other people that have been caught in the past for similar crimes, there is a huge imbalance. But you have to remember, that there will be greater coverage of Corby due to her conceived innocence here in Australia.Re: 'Bali Nine'. I really think my life, your life or anyone else's life is definately worth more than AU$10,000. A very stupid idea, indeed.

[kasm 0]

......

Anyway, what do others think about the trial and the 'whole Corby saga'?

144876[/snapback]

 

The lawyer asked funny request:.

 

- The lawyer is asking the Australian authorities to give immunity for unknown witness to say that he/she has planted the drugs.

Are the Australian authorities foolish to give that immunity for a person not caught by the authorities. How they can be sure that it is real thing and not fabrication or paid-for witness. Moreover I think if Australia did, Judges ain Indonsia are not naive to accept it as evidence.

 

- Previously the defense asked prisoner to flew with guard to testify that he heard story from other prisoners about planting drugs in bags !!!!. It was waste of money since testimony of prisoner is not admissible [i.e not accptable as evidence]

 

I will not make a judgment myself if she is guilty or not. The judges in the different levels will decide that not me or the media or the audience in the media.

 

kasm

[joeblogg 0]

i think she is guilty. i mean her brother or something was a drug smuggler or something. but apart from that wouldn't she have looked after her bags and not let someone conceal drugs in there.