Peru drug smuggling case - READ OP BEFORE POSTING

ebbsy

beazee wrote: »

Her family set up an Internet pledge to raise 20K pounds to cover legal costs. They've already raised £766!
http://www.thejournal.ie/michaella-peru-fundraising-1066647-Sep2013/

Support a drug mule instead of a child in need. They got some cheek.

BTW. Why is all the fuss about the Micky Mouse girl and not the other? Is it the looks?

They would need way more than 20k ?

Chris Dolmeth

jackal wrote: »

In a word, yes.

Its like when a pretty young girl dies in a car crash or something and strangers are upset because she was so pretty, whereas a homely girl would not really elicit the same reaction from those not close to her.

I reckon the other one is better looking. The ball of hair on the top of her head and a face that would stop a clock doesn't make the irish one attractive, imo.
Claiming she's a model is a helluva stretch (scuse the pun) too.

chopper6

Chris Dolmeth wrote: »

I reckon the other one is better looking. The ball of hair on the top of her head and a face that would stop a clock doesn't make the irish one attractive, imo.
Claiming she's a model is a helluva stretch (scuse the pun) too.

Neither of them are attractive...if I was pushed i'd say the irish one is slightly better looking than the Sour Scot but i'd be looking elsewhere unless I was desperate.:P

howamidifferent

.

OnTheCouch

jack presley wrote: »

I'd imagine its because she's Irish and most of the articles quoted are from Irish newspapers. I haven't followed the coverage on the UK and specifically the Scottish press but I'd imagine it's the opposite over there.

Yeah, from what I can make out it is exactly that, the UK media has been focusing on the Scottish girl and the Irish on Michaella.

chopper6

OnTheCouch wrote: »

Yeah, from what I can make out it is exactly that, the UK media has been focusing on the Scottish girl and the Irish on Michaella.

Hardly a surprise in fairness....what IS a surprise is any public sympathy for them whatsoever.

Menas

Link to pledge page here for those of you interested.

http://www.youcaring.com/other/michaella-mccollum-appeal-fund-/84386

The funny thing is that the page has no reference to her being innocent or the victim rather than the perpetrator.
They will need a lot more than £20k IMO.

If they want to mount a serious defence and make a not guilty case then I guess they would need some feet on the ground in Ibiza to talk to friends, colleagues etc out there, see if there is cctv footage in Ibiza, Mallorca, Madrid that may back up their case.
Then any witnesses would need to travel to peru for the case. That will cost. Of course they could give sworn testimony in their home country but I do not think Peru court will recognize that.

Add in to that family trips over to support her, money needed to survive in prison between now and the trial....legal fees in Peru, legal fees and travel expenses for the Irish solicitor if he stops his pro bono work....
It all mounts up and £20k will not cover it. But I do understand the family's need to raise money, I just don't think many will contribute.

chickcharnley

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Link to pledge page here for those of you interested.

http://www.youcaring.com/other/michaella-mccollum-appeal-fund-/84386

The funny thing is that the page has no reference to her being innocent or the victim rather than the perpetrator.
They will need a lot more than £20k IMO.

If they want to mount a serious defence and make a not guilty case then I guess they would need some feet on the ground in Ibiza to talk to friends, colleagues etc out there, see if there is cctv footage in Ibiza, Mallorca, Madrid that may back up their case.
Then any witnesses would need to travel to peru for the case. That will cost. Of course they could give sworn testimony in their home country but I do not think Peru court will recognize that.

Add in to that family trips over to support her, money needed to survive in prison between now and the trial....legal fees in Peru, legal fees and travel expenses for the Irish solicitor if he stops his pro bono work....
It all mounts up and £20k will not cover it. But I do understand the family's need to raise money, I just don't think many will contribute.

can anyone find me a link/proof to where the Irish solicitor is doing this work pro bono?

paddy147

Spanish police now getting involved and interpol now too.

New judge appointed to the case and he says he doesnt believe any word out of their mouths.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

paddy147 wrote: »

Spanish police now getting involved and interpol now too.

New judge appointed to the case and he says he doesnt believe any word out of their mouths.

The judge said that? Before the trial has been heard? Surely a judge making comments like that isn't on or legal

Menas

chickcharnley wrote: »

can anyone find me a link/proof to where the Irish solicitor is doing this work pro bono?

It was reported on his return from peru, fcked if I am going to search through the newspaper archive for you.

Try calling their offices directly.
http://www.madden-finucane.com/english/partners.aspx

Teagwee

IMO (and assuming there's any grain of truth to their story whatsoever) if they were willing to smuggle drugs to save the lives of their families under 'threat', they should now plead guilty to save these self same families the almost incalculable expense of trying to prove their inncocence while supporting them in prison so far away.

This imminent 'threat' to their families' wellbeing (emotional, financial and physical) is much more definite, far more seriously detrimental and likely to last for considerably longer than anything Columbian assassins could conceivably mount. If they can shorten or alleviate this in any way at all, they are morally bound (by their own stated lights) to do so. That this action would also be a win-win for themselves makes it a no-brainer.

Merkin

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Link to pledge page here for those of you interested.

http://www.youcaring.com/other/michaella-mccollum-appeal-fund-/84386

Is this for real?? :eek:

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Penny Dreadful

Merkin wrote: »

Is this for real?? :eek:

Its strange all right. I'm really surprised that people are donating money and some are giving (IMHO) quite a lot. A lot given the reason the money is being raised.

The photo of Michaella on the page is actually quite nice especially when compared to the other photos of her. The bun thing is NOT a good look.

jester77

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

The photo of Michaella on the page is actually quite nice especially when compared to the other photos of her. The bun thing is NOT a good look.

The one that looks like she buried her face into a mountain of makeup, because that one just looks cheap and tacky

nocoverart

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Its strange all right. I'm really surprised that people are donating money and some are giving (IMHO) quite a lot. A lot given the reason the money is being raised.

The photo of Michaella on the page is actually quite nice especially when compared to the other photos of her. The bun thing is NOT a good look.

I think the whole photo collection on that site is a complete joke TBH. Uploading "sexy" type photos to help raise funds for a drug-mule, but the scary thing is it will probably work.

Penny Dreadful

jester77 wrote: »

The one that looks like she buried her face into a mountain of makeup, because that one just looks cheap and tacky

Well I meant relatively speaking.

The girl wears more make up than anyone I've ever known but compared to some of the other pictures of her she looks good in that one.
Her hair pulled back so harshly from her face isn't a good look IMHO.

Not that any of that makes any difference anyway.

Penny Dreadful

nocoverart wrote: »

I think the whole photo collection on that site is a complete joke TBH. Uploading "sexy" type photos to help raise funds for a drug-mule, but the scary thing is it will probably work.

I agree.
I don't think they will raise much money at all. There are so many more worthy causes out there that people would be much more willing to donate to.

Oryx

The fund isnt exactly raking it in. (thank god). I cant think of many situations LESS deserving of charity.

Menas

I think that if the family came out and said that they were fund raising to get her good legal representation for a guilty plea, for pocket money to help her survive in prison and for a family member to visit peru then people might be a little more willing.
But 'bring her home'....nah.

Merkin

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Its strange all right. I'm really surprised that people are donating money and some are giving (IMHO) quite a lot. A lot given the reason the money is being raised.

So strange! I'm sure the contributions are accumulated from either friends, other family members or weirdos with a penchant for up-dos. I can't honestly see Joe Public donating anything...

Mr.McLovin

how much coke do you get for a donation though?

Menas

Merkin wrote: »

So strange! I'm sure the contributions are accumulated from either friends, other family members or weirdos with a penchant for up-dos. I can't honestly see Joe Public donating anything...

Lots of the donations seem to be from God botherers.

chopper6

I can't help but wonder if these idiots had gotten away with it this time would they have done it again?

Mr.McLovin

chopper6 wrote: »

I can't help but wonder if these idiots had gotten away with it this time would they have dome it again?

most people stupid enough to do it are usually so stupid they don't realise to quit while they're ahead, never underestimate the power of greed

chopper6

Mr.McLovin wrote: »

most people stupid enough to do it are usually so stupid they don't realise to quit while they're ahead, never underestimate the power of greed

And it *is* greed at the heart of all these stories....the perpetrators say they needed money for this and plane fare for that but it comes down to being blinded by stupidity to make a fast buck.

Kidchameleon

I hope they get the full amount just to sicken all the haters on here ill be donating...

Allyall

Kidchameleon wrote: »

I hope they get the full amount just to sicken all the haters on here ill be donating...

I still have to be pointed towards all the haters hating.

These girls, as naive as they were, must have known that drug smuggling is illegal.
If they didn't, then i have less sympathy for them.
If they get the money, then so be it. Well done, to the girls.

Are you going to chip in for the other 34 Irish people in Peruvian Jail for the same reason?
Or do you choose to believe their story, and their story alone?

Or do you agree with drug smuggling?

Or are you going to also chip in for all the European People?
Or just these girls?

What makes you chip in for these?

What is different about their story? Please explain.

prizefighter

MonaPizza wrote: »

I don't know. I don't know who qualifies as a witness in a criminal case and who doesn't. If 3 guys are arrested for kicking the sh1t out of someone surely each one of them could take the witness stand and tell their version of events, no?

So, if three men were arrested for gangraping a woman, the men can act as witnesses on each others behalf? They can all claim no wrongdoing and obviously its their three stories against her one. They have a common interest. Do you not see the huge deficit in logic put forward when you assume Melissa and Michaela can vouch for one another. If that was the case, every criminal would act with an accomplice so if they get arrested they can just deny any wrongdoing and have their partner by their side acting as a reciprocal witness. You've asked a few people are they mentally slow, yet you came out with this brainwave???

Paddy Cow

Allyall wrote: »

I still have to be pointed towards all the haters hating.

These girls, as naive as they were, must have known that drug smuggling is illegal.

Sorry to quote your post but I've seen this come up again and again and I don't get it. I have a 19 (soon to be 20) year old sister and she knows that stealing out of the local supermarket is wrong. If she tried it and got caught she knows that no one would believe her if she said she was coerced. She wouldn't do it, not only because she is honest but because she is old enough to understand the consequences. These "girls" are not innocents. They are young women who liked the party scene and while it doesn't make them bad people it doesn't mean they didn't know what they were doing. If naive was replaced with greedy, I wonder how much sympathy people would have for them.

I don't for a second believe their coercion story. It simply does not make sense for a gang to kidnap two women at gunpoint and force them around the world. Setting aside the argument that the women were too scared to go to the authorities at any one of the many checkpoints, the kidnappers simply couldn't know if the women would be able to mentally cope with the stress of knowing that their families survival depended on them doing everything right. Plenty of people have cracked under less pressure and I don't believe drug dealers would risk so much money on unpredictable mules when it is much easier to get willing people.

As much as I can understand their families trying to get them home, I don't think it's going to help the girls in the long run. Just like the two American girls they seem to be in shock and think that if they shout loud enough about being innocent someone will listen and let them go. It's not helping that people are telling them that they are naive and a campaign is being set up to get them home. They are not coming home anytime soon and how long that is depends on them. If they plead not guilty that could be between 8 and 15 years. If they plead guilty it could be a lot less but the amount of media exposure they've had could go against them if the Peruvians decide to use it to send a message.

I don't feel sorry for the women for trying to smuggle drugs but I do feel sorry for them that they will spend time in a very harsh prison system.

Allyall

Paddy Cow wrote: »

I don't feel sorry for the women for trying to smuggle drugs but I do feel sorry for them that they will spend time in a very harsh prison sentence.

I don't believe the girls didn't know what they were doing. A part of me believes they may have been convinced that it was a lot easier than it is, and didn't carry such a heavy sentence.

That is the only defence i can come up with for these two.

I cannot compare them to other 19 year olds, because the majority of 19/20 year olds that i know, wouldn't in their wildest dreams head out to Peru to smuggle Cocaine back.

I don't know if these girls were dealing in their hometown, nor do i know if they were dealing in Ibiza. As far as i am aware, this is their first offence. Therefore, i take it, they weren't heavily involved in crime.

I say naive, because i personally believe they were convinced it would be easy.
That just makes them stupid, but not so stupid that they didn't know what they were doing.

Too long to go into.

The end of it is, that i think 2/3 years is enough (especially with the publicity) to act as a deterrent to other foolish people.

Paddy Cow

Allyall wrote: »

I say naive, because i personally believe they were convinced it would be easy.
That just makes them stupid, but not so stupid that they didn't know what they were doing.

Being convinced it would be easy doesn't make them any less naive. Like I said earlier my nearly 20 year old sister knows it is wrong to steal and couldn't be tempted to do it. The point is 20 year olds are not that naive that they don't know the difference between right and wrong and know that breaking the law can result in a prison sentence.

Anyone who is on the party scene knows that street dealers are always at risk of being dobbed in by rival dealers and know that it can carry a prison sentence. People are very careful when they are buying low levels of drugs. They all want to have a good time but no one wants to run the risk of getting caught.

To move up the chain from dealing with low level street dealers to low leval international smugglers takes a hellov an incentive. Usually the price is between €5-10k. It's a stupid risk to take but I don't believe that anyone agreeing to be a mule is naive. They simply think with all normal arrogance of criminals - they won't be caught and if they are they have a story to get out of it.

We have heard from people saying "what if the girls are innocent" but what if it turns out that they are not? Suppose a while in jail breaks them and it turns out their true story was "we were having a great time but ran out of money and decided to do a run to fund the rest of our summer and got caught". I think some people reading the women's stories are more naive than the women themselves.

Cunning Stunt

Did they remove the comments section on the appeal sitè? i can't see anything..

Kidchameleon

Allyall wrote: »

I still have to be pointed towards all the haters hating.

These girls, as naive as they were, must have known that drug smuggling is illegal.
If they didn't, then i have less sympathy for them.
If they get the money, then so be it. Well done, to the girls.

Are you going to chip in for the other 34 Irish people in Peruvian Jail for the same reason?
Or do you choose to believe their story, and their story alone?

Or do you agree with drug smuggling?

Or are you going to also chip in for all the European People?
Or just these girls?

What makes you chip in for these?

What is different about their story? Please explain.

These girls asked, all the others didn't.

Kidchameleon

Paddy Cow wrote: »

If she tried it and got caught she knows that no one would believe her if she said she was coerced.

So nobody would believe her, does that mean she wasn't coerced?

A Dub in Glasgo

Kidchameleon wrote: »

, all the others didn't.

How do you know that?

Kidchameleon

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

How do you know that?

If they did, they certainly didn't ask me.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

A Dub in Glasgo

Kidchameleon wrote: »

If they did, they certainly didn't ask me.

Did you get a personal request from the drug women then?

Kidchameleon

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Did you get a personal request from the drug women then?

I did.

constance tench

Kidchameleon wrote: »

So nobody would believe her, does that mean she wasn't coerced?

If she didn't have any proof that she was coerced, then yes..that's the way it works in court! these girls, may get an extra 7 years for their 'crime' of insulting human intelligence if they keep sticking to the coercion story Re Ibiza, Madrid, Majorca.

A Dub in Glasgo

Kidchameleon wrote: »

I did.

Well done, now ask them to tell the truth and stop wasting every ones time

Kidchameleon

constance tench wrote: »

If she didn't have any proof that she was coerced, then yes..that's the way it works in court! these girls, may get an extra 7 years for their 'crime' of insulting human intelligence if they keep sticking to the coercion story Re Ibiza, Madrid, Majorca.

I had a **** this morning, nobody was there to see it happening. Does that mean it didn't happen?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

constance tench

Kidchameleon wrote: »

I had a **** this morning, nobody was there to see it happening. Does that mean it didn't happen?

A court would say...I want proof!:pac:

Amazingfun

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

The family ought to disable that feature. There are enough places about the net to have a go at the 'Peru 2', having her sister read all that daily is just not necessary.

I noticed a lot of the supporters have donated just based on their sympathy for the family, not because they believe the girls innocent. That is a noble act, as it's obvious they don't have as much money as Melissa's family, and Michaela is going to need money for water and food and God knows what else inside that hellhole.

Such a mess.

Kidchameleon

constance tench wrote: »

A court would say...I want proof!:pac:

Indeed, and the fact that I flushed the crusty toilet paper would mean I had no proof! Guilty according to the court, I accept that. But again, it still does not mean it didn't happen.

Amazingfun

gross.

A Dub in Glasgo

Amazingfun wrote: »

The family ought to disable that feature. There are enough places about the net to have a go at the 'Peru 2', having her sister read all that daily is just not necessary.

I noticed a lot of the supporters have donated just based on their sympathy for the family, not because they believe the girls innocent. That is a noble act, as it's obvious they don't have as much money as Melissa's family, and Michaela is going to need money for water and food and God knows what else inside that hellhole.

Such a mess.

I actually do think it is appropriate for the family to raise money to maintain visits and such like. That page is about getting her home where she 'belongs'