There was an ongoing pot-smuggling operation involving customs handlers going on in that arport, and this woman had denied any involvement, and has no criminal record.
Posted on 05/27/2005 10:41:57 AM PDT by conserv13
An Indonesian court has found Australian woman Schapelle Corby guilty of smuggling drugs into Bali and sentenced her to 20 years in jail.
Corby's family said she would appeal against the verdict, which could have seen her sentenced to death.
Corby, 27, said her luggage had been tampered with, after she was arrested last October with 4.1kg (9lbs) of marijuana in her bags at Bali airport.
Her case has stirred widespread public sympathy in Australia.
Corby fought back tears and there were screams from her supporters in court, as the verdict and sentence were announced.
"Judges are of the opinion that the accused imported marijuana," Judge Wayan Suastrawan said.
"She was arrested red-handed at the airport."
The beautician from Queensland had continually pleaded her innocence to the charges against her, claiming that baggage handlers in Australia put the drugs in her luggage as part of a smuggling operation that went wrong.
Her parents were in court to hear the verdict.
Her mother shouted "liar" when the judge gave his decision. Corby smiled weakly, and repeated: "It's OK, it's OK".
Australian concern
More than 100 Australian journalists had travelled to Bali to report on the case and the judges' two-and-a-half-hour summing up was carried live on Australian TV.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Plus she's cute. The Aussies should rescue her.
Transport a natural herb, get 20. Kill someone, get 3.
Good idea
I wonder if Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is successful in getting the prisoner transfer he is asking for is she can appeal her case in an Australian court maybe even reducing her sentence to Australia's drug laws if she is indeed guilty.
There was an ongoing pot-smuggling operation involving customs handlers going on in that arport, and this woman had denied any involvement, and has no criminal record.
Indonesia isn't evil. It's a beautiful place filled with the most open hearted people I've ever met. Bali (where this occured) is actually Hindu, but the muslims in Indonesia are not the raving jihadists that you see in the gulf. The version of Islam they practice is a loose mix of Islam and the local animist religions. And while they have their dissenters there (just like we do here) they are for the most part strongly pro-American.
I agree that this is excessive, but it doesn't mean that Indonesia is evil.
I have written a letter to my congressmen asking of the possibilities of a travel ban on Indonesia in order to support our Aussie allies.
Those are Rachel Corrie/Lorie Berenson type eyes...
Guilty as charged.
If she had a bomb and a Koran in her dope, they would've been more lenient?
I think they are more pro-money than they are pro-American. I found this traveling to many countries around the world. They love America until you are broke. If they were really supportive of us, they would give their terrorists a tougher sentence than 3 years.
I'm not familiar enough with Australian nor Indonesian law to know if there's any kind of extradition treaties between the two, but if she does get the transfer I imagine her chances will be vastly improved- but again, I'm not familiar enough with Australian law to know how much of an improvement she's likely to see, though any thing's probably going to be better the 20 yrs.
I wonder if all the people crying that the sentence was "excessive" realize that drug offenders in the US are receiving the same (or even longer) sentences in US federal courts?
There's a whole lotta cash flow to protect in the first case. Not so in the second.
Indonesia is a Muslim 'country'. Bali is an exception there. Its natives are Hindu. It's sad it has to bear with the rest of the 'country', fully filled with Islamowhackos.
Supporters of Corby react as news of the sentence reaches Australia. The Australian government offered to send two senior lawyers to help her appeal.
Ms. Corby has denied any involvement, and her lawyers asserted the drugs were planted. customs officials in the same airport were convicted last year for smuggling in marijuana and heroin. No forensic evidence was presented at the trial. She is a beauty school student with no record of arrests or convictions. 20 years for pot? Outrageous. Australia should reciprocate and just make the practice of Islam illegal.
I am aware of it, and it's just as ridiculous.
This thing stinks to high heaven. Why would you try to smuggle 4 Kilos of marijuana into Indonesia? My understanding is that the cost of the stuff his higher in Australia than it is in Indonesia. Second of all, slipping 4 kilos in your suitcase and expecting to get through two airports with the security as it is these days would be the act of a complete moron. She didn't strike me as that stupid. If I were the Australian government I'd threaten to cut off all tourism to the damn place.
I am still trying to figure out why you would smuggle drugs TO Indonesia FROM Australia.
Don't they have pot in Indonesia?
You mean like these sweet, wonderful women?
Their hearts are open all right, open wide with the homicidal rage of Islam pouring right out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
