Free Schepelle Corby Petion

**Biff** · 29th May 2005, 20:43

I'd donate a few $$'s for her to hire a real defence lawyer.

**StoneChucker** · 29th May 2005, 21:04

It's a tricky subject to debate. How do we know for sure that she is innocent? What I mean is:

The customs agents' testimony was that when he asked her to open the bodyboard bag she immediately said no and looked very uncomfortable. If this testimony is infact true, then you must ask yourself if she really is innocent?

BUT, and a big but, that in my opinion is probably not true. And if it were, maybe she had noticed the drugs before then (after they were planted) and just didn't know what to do?
I just don't know. I do hope she is guilty, as the alternative is unbearable to think about. 20 years in a shithole jail, in a shithole country while being innocent! A good thing she's on suicide watch, as I'd be contemplating that! Even if her appeal is successful, it can take up to 11 months (I think, 5 for the court which convicted her and 6 months for the highest court's decision). That a long time in jail!

What also worries me is that the presiding judge, on all of his 500 narcotics cases, has NEVER found anyone innocent! Those figures smell terribly of corruption. Looks pretty good sending all those terrible drug dealers to jail, which is why he can "be happy and sleep well at night". Her defence? What defence! The defence would not confirm whether they had ever even won a case, and if so how many! I heard the Australian government have offered two QC's, pro bono (one with specific experience in Indonesian law). I hope they accept this offer, and I'm wondering why it wasn't extended in the first place? (if it was, why wasn't it accepted?). Shit thing is, if the appeal is lost, she can get the death penalty! They were interviewing who I assumed to be a homeless guy - turned out to be the prosecutor!

I ask you this, why does a drug carrier get 20 years, and a "Bali Bomber" get 2 years? Oh, and as for someone's suggestion of going to war with them. Obviously it was in jest, but you'd be suprised at their military capabilities. Alot of these third world countries are third world because they spend all their money on military/defense.

Watching her pain on TV, I find it very hard to make jokes, and comment on her looks.

**justsomeguy** · 29th May 2005, 23:16

Originally Posted by StoneChucker

Oh, and as for someone's suggestion of going to war with them. Obviously it was in jest, but you'd be suprised at their military capabilities. Alot of these third world countries are third world because they spend all their money on military/defense.

Nah get the americans in - as soon as they "save" Iraq and "capture" Osama bin laden - they will sort them out.

Not saying get the americans in - saying American $$$$ and they still can't capture one guy or bring peace to a country or win their war against countries way poorer than Indonesia. So forget anyone attacking anybody - even as a joke.

Originally Posted by StoneChucker

Watching her pain on TV, I find it very hard to make jokes, and comment on her looks.

She may be guiltier than the devil or as innocent as Mother Teresa - her situation is really scary none the less... and being "pretty" may not be too good a thing in those situations - womens rights aren't as developed as they could be......

**What?** · 30th May 2005, 06:47

Originally Posted by StoneChucker

... the presiding judge, on all of his 500 narcotics cases, has NEVER found anyone innocent! Those figures smell terribly of corruption...

Or it just smells of personal pride. To the judge, it is a matter of huge pride that he has convicted everyone who has come before him. If he were to aquit an accused drug traffficker, he would consider himself a failure.
In many places around the world, you are guilty if accused - to be aquitted, the accused has to provide the evidence. This is more the case in countries dominated by certain religions :raghead:
So, now can someone explain what the point of a petition is? Do you really think the Indonesians give a damn?

**justsomeguy** · 30th May 2005, 07:48

Originally Posted by What?

So, now can someone explain what the point of a petition is? Do you really think the Indonesians give a damn?

No, not really but people like fighting for something...

**marty** · 30th May 2005, 08:41

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

No, not really but people like fighting for something...

it's called operating in your sphere of concern. some people should spend more time operating in their sphere of influence - it's much more satisfying.

**Fart** · 30th May 2005, 10:23

Her advisers handled the entire case badly.

The only way to free her was to keep the case out of the media limelight and pay a substantial amount of funds into the Judge's Swiss bank account. Thats how things are handled over there. The only law in Indonesia is the law of money.

**Hitcher** · 30th May 2005, 10:30

Rule 1: Never go to war against wog nations. Particularly wog nations that are reasonably affluent AND who have better kit than you do.

**vifferman** · 30th May 2005, 11:18

Originally Posted by Timber020

The fact is that there is only this much interest because shes so damn pretty.

I find her rather unappealatising.

**James Deuce** · 30th May 2005, 11:21

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Rule 1: Never go to war against wog nations. Particularly wog nations that are reasonably affluent AND who have better kit than you do.

I thought that was; "Never get involved in a land war in Asia."

**Paul in NZ** · 30th May 2005, 11:55

Originally Posted by Jim2

I thought that was; "Never get involved in a land war in Asia."

I thought it was "Never get involved with Wogs that have better kilts than you"...

**Paul in NZ** · 30th May 2005, 12:02

Up until now I have refrained from even thinking about this whole thing because I don’t believe that there is enough genuine information available to people like me to come to any sensible conclusion.

However, my thinking thus far is thus..…

It is very interesting (if not predictable) that the ‘media’ have seized this story and presented it as they have. This whole thing has taken on (in my eyes anyway) the flavor of a not particularly good episode of Neighbours or Cath and Kim.. ie Designed to sell magazines and TV time and no one really gives a hoot if she rots in jail or not, just as long as they can spin out the story. Because of the way it has been handled, the average aussie is ‘outraged’ at her treatment and sure of her innocence yet there is a very good chance she may actually be guilty AND the punishments, should you be found guilty of such a crime in Indonesia are well publicized.

Lets face it anyone with access to a library or the internet could find out in 10 minutes what sort of place Indonesia is. (note I’m not saying it is necessarily a bad place but it is NOT Australia or NZ)

It is definitely an ‘interesting’ place with some very different values to ours. Corrupt? Well that depends upon how you view things, yes, there is an unofficial economy that works very differently to ours but to the average Indonesian, that’s pretty normal. Sadly it is so different to ours (NZ) that our company (among many) found it virtually impossible to do business there at one time.… That’s not always because of corruption though, it’s just they way it works there and you can’t go in blathering about how it’s not ‘right’ etc because you will just offend the locals who may just not see a problem with it… And it IS a sovereign nation (well it was when I checked)

Now… Bali is an interesting creature…. It’s Indonesia with a very thin (and gaudy) paint job and some dodgy bars and clubs designed to strip $$ from rich white people. It’s become this mythical place where vacuous westerners can go and leer up on a warm beach and get away with shit they could not / would not do at home all at a reasonable price… It’s been heavily promoted for years by travel companies, magazines and the ‘media’ as one of ‘the’ places to go (yet if you really had serious $$ you would avoid it like the plague – go figure). These same organizations know very well the risks you run if it goes pear shaped and all the other problems yet they gloss over all that in an obscene effort to get your holiday $$.

Of course having encouraged the huddled masses to go to a thinly disguised shit hole like Bali the same media are sure to be shocked and outraged at something like this.. Maybe a picture is emerging here…

So, knowing how it is run and what can happen… Why would you go there?

You go there because it is good value, relatively safe and for years the government of Indonesia has turned a blind eye to some of the goings on because they were getting what they needed from the place.. Now I think we are seeing a bit of a change. Aussie has been a bit more militant; Indonesia has been in conflict with Aussie and they have their own internal issues. Tolerance is wearing a bit thin on both sides perhaps?

Honestly. I’m NOT surprised that it was a shapely woman that is in this situation. Culturally they (the Muslim Indo’s) would probably find that highly offensive.

Anyway! What the hell would I know? It’s not really my cup of tea as a place to go to. Give me the local garden bar on a fine day anytime.

Paul N

Ps – Just be a bit careful when making cross cultural value judgments. Just remember that us euros have a bad habit of strutting about assuming our ways are the civilized ways. We expect Asian people to adopt our ‘ways’ when they come here (bloody asian drivers etc) it’s reasonable to accept their ways when we visit them…