Thoughts about Schapelle

May 30, 2005 by Rose

Last night Steve and I were talking Schapelles case and we realised without a doubt she must be innocent of this crime, not only the shocking way in which it was handled from the Bali side of things, but I just can’t believe that Brisbane airport would let a Boogie bag pass through its inspection with that amount of drugs going undetected. It was the size of a pillow the bag, and the stench itself would have been enough to give away its contents. It wasn’t even hidden in any way, although Bali police claim her flippers were on top of the bag which they think seems to prove her guilt.

Not sure if you have ever had the pleasure of seeing an airport x-ray machine, I have and it shows up EVERYTHING in the luggage.

I’m not convinced the drugs had they been planted by a baggage handler, that they were actually destined for Bali.

Current baggage handlers have reported it is easy to smuggle things into their workplace which contradicts speculation as to how the drugs ended up in the airport with a baggage handler.

The examination of Corby’s bag and the initial interrogation was not video-recorded or tape-recorded by police, and an official translator was not provided. Most important, the plastic sacks were not examined for fingerprints.

There’s so many reasons why this case is not as clear cut as it would appear and why I believe Schapelle Corby is innocent.

* The value of the drugs makes it exceedingly unlikely this would deliberately occur.
* The risk offset against the value for any method of trafficking makes it unlikely you’d knowingly carry these items into a land where the maximum penalty for trafficking is DEATH.
* Given the risk and penalty, you wouldn’t store such items in baggage that’s CLEARLY going to be X-rayed at both ends.
* Given the stench of the product when the bag was opened, which both Schappelle Corby and the customs officers involved have agreed on, it seems beyond the wit of man that you’d deliberately try to get something like that past sniffer dogs. You’d have to be insane. (Sniffer dogs operate on a regular basis at Melbourne International Airport, so I suspect they do at Brisbane and Sydney too, and even more likely at Bali)
* The handling of the case at the airport was completely bungled. No video tape of what went on, no recorded tape of what went on. All the ‘admissions’ that are mentioned are not corroborated by simple evidence recording measures.
* No fingerprints taken, nor any forensics done to the suspect to ensure that she wasn’t an unwitting party.
* Drug traffickers working at the two airports where this girl passed through were caught doing exactly the things she has claimed happened to her

And in any case, how can 20 years (or death penalty) be a fair punishment for a crime of carrying marijuana into a country that gives lesser sentences for bombers convicted of murdering hundreds of people. The sentence, even if she is guilty, should fit the crime. Marijuana is significantly less lethal than bombs planted in market squares.

Given the alleged total bungling by the customs officers, police force and subsequent legal case, along with much of the evidence that a normal western judicial system would require being missing I believe she should be freed anyway. The case does not stand up strongly enough EXCEPT on the grounds that the bag was found in her luggage. This does not of itself prove HER guilt, only someone’s guilt.

This is a gross mis-trial, regardless of the actual innocence or guilt of the accused.