Schapelle Corby.

[bindi]

Originally Posted by xdc351

If you read the report, the judges completely ignored absoloutly all evidence supplied by the defence and believed the shonky, half assed evidence of the customs agents. They failed to weigh all of her baggage and compare it to the check in weight in Australia, failed to run any checks on the dope or the bag it came in and couldn't even get their story's straight.

Schapelle's defence stuffed up a number of times too don't get me wrong. But if the dope was picked say in QLD the case would never have made it to court. I mean, how could a 4kg bag of dope make it past Sydney airport security *unless* it was the security helping it through? I mean, it all runs through the same scanners it does at the bali end.

As for the argument 'you go to another country, you deal with their justice system'.... well thats absoloutly true. And this fiasco is exactly why Bali will never see one single cent from me.

Agreed... actually I never planned on going to Indonesia at all. The appeal of the place is beyond me - now I have even more reason to go elsewhere.

It was a real mess, the whole court case and the stuff-ups and the shonkiness of it. Didn't test this, didn't check that, etc.

And Chris, you yell the directions with scotch in hand - I will provide the vodka shots, pizza and chocolate for all involved. Maybe we'll call it the Love Boat

[paul7v7]

Originally Posted by xdc351

If you read the report, the judges completely ignored absoloutly all evidence supplied by the defence and believed the shonky, half assed evidence of the customs agents. They failed to weigh all of her baggage and compare it to the check in weight in Australia, failed to run any checks on the dope or the bag it came in and couldn't even get their story's straight.

Schapelle's defence stuffed up a number of times too don't get me wrong. But if the dope was picked say in QLD the case would never have made it to court. I mean, how could a 4kg bag of dope make it past Sydney airport security *unless* it was the security helping it through? I mean, it all runs through the same scanners it does at the bali end.

As for the argument 'you go to another country, you deal with their justice system'.... well thats absoloutly true. And this fiasco is exactly why Bali will never see one single cent from me.

exactly whether or not she was guilty is not the problem i am having. it seems her fate was decided when she entered the country. there was no fair trial. it was a farce, the judges looked bored and couldn't be bothered being there. do i think she took the drugs there?? I don't know....

[Falcon Coupe]

Guilty or not, i feel for Schapelle, i think her future will look like the old movie "Midnight Express".

[EDXR-I6]

so true to that! i agree with you about the movie. it seems so much the same only 30 years later

[GT-P 738]

Originally Posted by Chris

Alright Micky, you bring the gun, Marlin girl can steer and i'll have a scotch and coke and yell directions.

ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!

[aps]

Originally Posted by Casper

When the "laws" and "sentances" are dictated by a "lets show the world we are tough by making an example of this person" even though the forensics were totally skipped and the judge is making statements saying that he has never aquitted a "drug dealer" then we are not dealing with their laws

All Asain countries have very tough drug laws and we should all understand that - as to whether she guilty or not I have no idea though she will have the right to an appeal.

Maybe we should have much tougher drug laws in Aust, it makes me angry to see some people in Australia making a fortune out of drugs at the expense of our childrens health, just my 2 cents worth.

Peter

[TheSneakiness]

Originally Posted by aps

Maybe we should have much tougher drug laws in Aust, it makes me angry to see some people in Australia making a fortune out of drugs at the expense of our childrens health, just my 2 cents worth.

Peter

I agree here Peter, however, the fact remains that they didn't really do a good job of prosecuting Corby properly. They should have explored all avenues, ie: prints, DNA etc. etc. I know that they have primative technology, but that's besides the point. They could've learned something from the Bali bombing investigation.

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by aps

All Asain countries have very tough drug laws and we should all understand that ...

No most Asian countries have tough laws inconsistantly policed. Token servings of harsh justice atop a look the other way attitude. That's something very different.

But yes in another country you are very much at the mercy of whatever system is in power there.

[aps]

Originally Posted by RED_EL_XR8

No most Asian countries have tough laws inconsistantly policed.

That's not been my experience and I have been travelling through Asia for over 25 years - Asain countries have been extremely tough on drug crimes as far back as I can remember, the jails in Asia are full of drug related crime people.

Originally Posted by RED_EL_XR8

But yes in another country you are very much at the mercy of whatever system is in power there.

So true and we should all be aware of this fact when travelling throughout Asia.

Peter

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by aps

That's not been my experience and I have been travelling through Asia for over 25 years - Asain countries have been extremely tough on drug crimes as far back as I can remember, the jails in Asia are full of drug related crime people.



So true and we should all be aware of this fact when travelling throughout Asia.

Peter

Inconsistent enough for 10's of thousands to take the risk every week. Not a risk I'd ever contemplate taking, nor a business I'd want to be involved in, but if the penalties are high and many are still prepared to take those risks, then the odds of non detection must be better than reasonable.

[bdave351]

I know it isnt a popular opinion......but all the crap about fingerprint and DNA.......well its frankly not all that relevant.
I have arrested a LOT of people with drugs and quite often you wont find prints etc on stuff for a variety of reasons (not all drug runners are dumb enough to leave stuff on there)
I know this pulls at a lot of peoples heart strings given that she is a young attractive woman.......but there is a lot of aussies arrested overseas for drugs that get no media at all. They often have exactly the same story about it not being them (your not going to just surrender often and say yes it was me) and its always a load of crap.

People do things that the rest of us just dont consider we would ever do as not everyone is a fine upstanding citizen. There is lots of people in aussie jails that have given exactly the same story but a juror of people like yourselves has listened to the EVIDENCE not media and found them guilty.

Cheers

[Casper]

Originally Posted by aps

All Asain countries have very tough drug laws and we should all understand that - as to whether she guilty or not I have no idea though she will have the right to an appeal.

Maybe we should have much tougher drug laws in Aust, it makes me angry to see some people in Australia making a fortune out of drugs at the expense of our childrens health, just my 2 cents worth.

Peter

I'm all for tough drug laws and, given a fair trial and the presentation of all appropriate evidence, anyone found guilty is going to get what they deserve. A current situation is the Bali 9..they are caught red handed and, based on my limited knowledge of the case, I think they are gone for all money. Fine by me so long as the trial is FAIR and not another kangaroo court.

The reason I'm upset with this case is the obvious and blatent disregard for standard forensic evidence which, in this sort of case, would have quite possibly made the case either for or against her air tight. Basically, this court case has been a joke from day one. There is no real evidence on either side and the judges have simply given a arbitory 20 year sentance for the media to lap up and drug smugglers to be afraid of. Schapelle is unfortunatly the bunny who is going to have to pay for it...guilty or not. The judge already made it clear he was going to convict, this was not about innocence or guilt, it was about making a statement. That is not a legal system.
In this situation she should have the right of appeal immediatly and to an international court where an unbiased hearing can be had. I dont believe she will get that oppertunity in Indonesia so we, as a country and for our citizen, should do whatever we can to leverage Indonesia into allowing her access to international judgement. If that means financial "bullying" then go for it I say.

I think the she got a bloody raw deal that was the most on sided court room i have ever seen i say they have a very short memory they gave the bali bomber a slap on the risk compared to Schapelle 20 years cmon Australia lets show them we mean buisness i will bet you if she was an American citizen she would be free already living back in her home they would not stand for this injustace surely the Australian Government should be able to help her out.Lets stop giving them barstxxds any more money and see how they go then.


Just my 2 cents worth

[Casper]

Originally Posted by bdave351

There is lots of people in aussie jails that have given exactly the same story but a juror of people like yourselves has listened to the EVIDENCE not media and found them guilty.

Cheers

Except in this case there is no Jury....and the judge is openly addmitting he is so anti drug that he has never aquitted a case. This was BEFORE the official verdict. We are not talking about a hearing in front of a jury of our peers with all evidence (for and against) shown. We are talking of a farce where a person has been convicted and sentanced when a huge amount of reasonable doubt still exists.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by dj_pom82

I don't believe she is guilty and for her to now have to serve 20 years in prison is just too wrong to comprehend. I just can't see how someone could be so stupid as to try and smuggle that much pot in an unlocked boogie board bag. It makes so much more sense that someone else put it there expecting that someone else would take it out at the airport in Sydney. The justice system in Bali is crap, I will certainly never be traveling there. John Howard needs to take a good look at himself as well, gutless little weasel.

While I think the disparity of punishment between a bomber and a dope smuggler seems to be **** about, I can't understand why it makes sense to people that baggage handlers will put stashes of dope in unlocked bags in the hope that someone at the other end will remove it... it just sounds so hit and miss to me when you can throw the stash in the boot and drive it down and be assured it will arrive safe and sound with a lot less risk.

I also don't know what John Howard is meant to do? Had one of the Bali bombers blown up a building and killed a few hundred people in Sydney, how would people react if Indonesia was then dictating to our legal system that the sentence should only be a couple of years, because, after all, it wasn't like they were smuggling drugs into the country...

We already have a decent amount of Aussies in Indonesian gaols who have been caught smuggling and in possession of, bet very few people could even name the guy that was caught with a stash as small as his fingernail that's now in the pokey let alone any of the rest unless the media felt that they were being fairly critisised for milking Corby's story for all it was worth and started to report on the others.

[noosacuda]

Bali has no oil reserves,therefore no interest for our spineless P.M to do anything.Boycott Bali and withdraw the tsunami support for Indonesia. MY OPINION ONLY

[aps]

Originally Posted by oldlucky

i will bet you if she was an American citizen she would be free already living back in her home they would not stand for this injustace

I reckon if she was American she would have most likely been executed, by Asian standards our Aussie girl has been given a lighter sentence,let's not forget that she does has the right to appeal so all is not lost yet.

Peter

[greyute]

I think there is probably alot of truth or for that matter nontruth that we did and are not going to hear about. as for my opinion i think that she is probably guilty but in a justice system sush as Indonesia's what hope does any body have guilty or not.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by aps

I reckon if she was American she would have most likely been executed, by Asian standards our Aussie girl has been given a lighter sentence,let's not forget that she does has the right to appeal so all is not lost yet.

Peter

Apparently so does the prosecutors who according to the media (and if you've got a radio on, that's all you're hearing right now) think she got off light and want a harsher sentence.

While I sympathise with her for her plight, the battle between Shapelle and Kylie's tit for the front page and opening credits in the news is partially the reason why I tend to avoid it. The reporting of the 'facts' are the priority of the news is solely based on the ability to make people watch, read and listen... and not about reporting unbiased information.

[LuvinmyEB]

I never expected that she would be coming home and by Indo law she did get a light sentence.

Watching the verdict was absolutely heart wrenching, things would start sounding good for her then they would drag something else out and your heart just fell again.

Her composure, well I don't know how she did it, I could not have sat there for over 2 hours without absolutely losing it. When she started crying I just wanted to be able to reach out and hold her hand, just be able to do something for her.

I hope that her appeals are successful and that she is back in Australia as soon as possible. One thing is for sure I will never travel to Indonesia nor will I be buying anything that comes from there.

Can I get a refund on the money that I gave for the Tsunami appeal?

The prosecution are now thinking of appealing also because they say the sentence was too light. :

She has a long arduous journey in front of her, I hope she can keep up the strength she showed today.

Her aunt has a petition that she wants to try and get 1,000,000 signatures on, I may ring channel 9 to see if I can get a copy of it and copy a few pages and pass them out.

[JPFS1]

Well for mine, the law is the law and people must adhere to it. Now i have heard about the extremes that people go to in taking advantage of corrupt people in power (read customs) where you can pay them out and get your 'stuff' through, seems like on this day she got unlucky and got a straight shooter.

Her family were never consistent with their stories either, she's guilty in my mind and have no sympathy for drug runners.

[AdzT3-146]

its ****ed. makes you feel sick in the guts watching it and it makes you wanna go and smack those indo's in the mouth who applauded the verdict.

i wish our government would actually do something and get the best damn lawyers we have and send em over there.

i too would like my money back that i donated to the tsunami appeal. never help those corrupt pricks ever again.

[flappist]

It is a terrible situation and unfortunately we and the media probably sealed her fate.
There is NO WAY that the bastards would have found her not guilty when it could have been perceived that they were bowing to external pressure.

The "lose face" mentality still reigns supreme in that culture.

The only real chance she ever had was to bribe the judges and keep it quiet but the media machine make too much money to leave shit alone.

The sad thing is that it will have no effect whatsoever on anyone except poor Schappelle as regardless of all the screaming and yelling anyone who was going to go to Bali still will. Cheap dope, whores and grog will always attract punters.
I asked one of my 20 year old employees who had planned to have a holiday in Bali if they were still going and she said "Yes, I will just not smuggle any dope in, it is cheaper there".
The pollys will thrash about like they did in 1975 when the indons murdered 6 Australians in Timor and then absolutely nothing will happen.

[Psycho Chicken]

Hurry up and get the appeal over with so I can stop hearing about this shit.

Yeah yeah, the poor girl. She's been there before, she knows how things work. Ever heard of a padlock? They supply them (abeit crap ones) with suitcases for a reason.

We're not hearing all the story and there are too many rumours flying around. The media is playing this up big time, all because it pulls ratings. If it was some fat, smelly, abusive and rude bogan no one would give two shits. Things like this have happened before and it'll happen again.

Still, 20 years for some weed and a slap on the wrist for blowing a night club up? What a joke. Indonesia is a shithole, this just gives me more reason to go to Thailand for fake watches.

Well, as they say " where's there's smoke there is blue cod" and life is full of choices, sometimes you just make really bad ones and I'm with Psycho, get this crap over and done with and let's get on with what we can control, like more air, more fuel, more power.
How many people travel to Indonesia and what percentage get caught, heaps and not a lot so it just might show that those that do put themselves at a far greater risk than those that don't. Don't be sookin' when the hammer drops.

[MrSparkle]

This isn't about her. Think beyond the square.

I knew a victim of the Bali bombings, (RIP Bro), yet I donated to the tsunami appeal, and I also saw Abu Bakar Bashir get essentially given a free ticket for his involvement. The levels of corruption in the entire SE Asia region would be enough to make some of you people on here physically sick if only you knew. Actually, you can get an idea by seeing those in the courtroom who applauded the decision.

Thanks to the bombings, the sentencing of those involved, and now this, I endorse any action be it legal or otherwise, taken against the Indonesian government and their sympathisers.

[JAJH]

Whether you like the media show or not is debatable, but if we don't hear about it, how many more 'innocent' Aussies are being locked up by these legally backwards countries. I find it amazing that the chief judge blatantly sits there amid the all the hype like a media whore lapping up the attention and says, "He has never acquitted anyone in 500 drug related cases!". It comes across as if you are guilty not matter what evidence is put before him. I think the whole systems smells a little off and there is certainly a lot of suggestion of baggage tampering here and elsewhere. Hopefully the 'so-called' authorities can clean up the security issues at airports which in turn will stop the innocent patsys ending up in jail.

[Phil]

coruption, plenty of it over here.........what a joke. I go through denpasar airport everytime i go home, i have to pay 1 million rupiah tax when i leave. every time i go an imagration dude gives me his phone number and tells me to call him next time i go to get a "cheaper tax, no reciept". i never do as the priks would probally dob me in and i would be sitting next to corby. I will finish my contract here in a few months and will never be holidaying here again, Phuket sounds nice......
I think she is inocent, no one smuggles drugs from Aust to Indo, it is very cheap and easier to get it here. I dont go the pot scene but a few guys i work with do (over here).
Just imagine if you KNOW you packed your bag with out any extras then found them at the other end. No security probs in Aust, Why was a camels head running around the airport runway ? I recon she would have got off without all the media around, then she could have bribed the judges........thats my 2 cents

[JPFS1]

This judge sentanced the bali bombers to DEATH, the cleric almost got off because they couldn't prove his involvement.

It's amazing how many different views people have, this must be a reflection of the lack of evidence and facts and the way the media have reported on this case.

All reports have clearly made us sympathise with her causing this emmotional debate, but who can really be certain that she is INNOCENT?

Her defense hold no credibility considering it was made up of conflicting stories, therefore in my mind she is more likely to be guilty of the crime than innocent.

[Psycho Chicken]

They didn't touch the guy who thought it up though. At least that's what I thought?