Peru drug smuggling case - READ OP BEFORE POSTING

buck65

But what about her hair, is it not gothicy?

Allyall

chickcharnley wrote: »

i'd doubt it me thinks the peruvian lawyer is provided by the justice system over there to all foriegn nationals as per course, the nordie guy set-up the fund for his flights etc and is he doing it pro-bono? maybe im wrong could trigger happy shed some light on this topic ?

You can have a lawyer supplied by the state, although, I read somewhere (I'm after looking for it for the last 5-10 minutes and can't find it yet), that Peter Madden had found/arranged a decent lawyer for them over there. He hasn't made any statement afaik regarding how much he himself is getting paid, or whether or not he's working pro bono.

I think Michaella's family approached him when the news had just broken, He then flew over there and started asking people to donate funds.. It was never clear who or what the funds were for.
Whether they were for the Peruvian Lawyer or for his own fee's/flights hasn't been mentioned that i have seen.

Fwiw, Peter Madden is a Human Rights lawyer, which, as far as i can make out, means that a lot of the work he does, possibly most of it, is Pro Bono.

http://www.madden-finucane.com/english/partners.aspx

Menas

chickcharnley wrote: »

i'd doubt it me thinks the peruvian lawyer is provided by the justice system over there to all foriegn nationals as per course, the nordie guy set-up the fund for his flights etc and is he doing it pro-bono? maybe im wrong could trigger happy shed some light on this topic ?

I know that he did say at one point that he was doing it pro bono. The only fund I know about is the one that her family set up to 'get her home where she belongs'...but there was talk of other funds by Matlock and that Bishop fella. I have not seen details of those though.

To be honest if there was one fund to help the family get out and visit her over the duration of her sentence then I would probably donate. They are the real victims in this whole affair.

chickcharnley

lets see what matlock says when they get sentenced and what happens to the "appeal" fund

I am pie

Sure they're out there now drinking coffee under a parasol, let's see how long that lasts if they don't start talking.

Cunning Stunt

amazing the amount of differing media reports on this. The belfast telegraph reckons they have been told they could be out in under 2 months if they give up the names of the others involved...


http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/peru-drugs-mules-michaella-mccollum-connolly-and-melissa-reid-home-for-christmas-if-they-shop-gang-29619982.html

By Cate McCurry – 30 September 2013
Drugs mule Michaella McCollum Connolly could be spending Christmas at home if she helps bring the gang that sent her and co-accused Melissa Reid to Peru to justice.

The pair, both 20, have been told they could be released from custody in less than two months if they agree to help Peruvian authorities find and jail the criminal gang behind the £1.5m cocaine pick-up.
The huge revelation comes just days ahead of a crucial court hearing at which Dungannon woman McCollum and Reid, from Lenzie in Scotland, will be asked to give more information about their trip from Ibiza to Peru in August.
"There is a possibility these two women can be out of prison in around two months and never have to go back to jail," said Chief prosecutor Juan Mendoza Abarca.
"But they have to give us all the information they have – names, addresses, contact details and so on, so we can bring the drugs gang here in Peru and abroad to justice.
"The women hold their own future in their hands. They have the option of collaborating with state prosecutors, helping us bring down this criminal organisation and tasting freedom again very quickly, or saying nothing and going to jail for a very long time."
After weeks of protesting their innocence, McCollum and Reid finally admitted to drug smuggling at a hearing last Tuesday.
The pair were hoping their admissions would mean they would receive reduced jail sentences of six years. However, sceptical prosecutors said this can only happen if they inform on the gang they say forced them to traffick cocaine.
Meanwhile, a former boyfriend of McCollum's has claimed she repeatedly rejected offers of drugs in Ibiza. DJ Brad Houston, who had a five-day fling with Michaella in Ibiza shortly before her arrest, said he believed her story.
"She was in Ibiza, one of the most fun places in the world; she's young, good looking having the time of her life. Why would you risk your life to go do a drug deal? She never struggled for any money," he told the Sunday Life.
He also said they had been offered drugs maybe ten to 15 times a day – but she had always refused them

MonaPizza

Allyall wrote: »

'Big Boss' exists, as in, there was someone that organised it, but nobody was kidnapped. But the biggest boss involved in it, would be equal to a slightly more organised street dealer.

The big guys use Boats, Submarines, Private planes (on a smaller scale), and pay off everyone possible inbetween.
The amount the girls were caught with, compared to them, would be comparable to how much you would care if you had just won the lotto and lost a penny. (not a lucky penny).



More like a Nordie Shore. Like them lot what is in that Boots ad, when they all dance, and apparently everyone without a tan is supposed to be the ones what look stupid.

Chavtastic, innit.

Allyall

MonaPizza wrote: »

Chavtastic, innit.

You do get that, that was on purpose don't you?

MonaPizza

Allyall wrote: »

You do get that, that was on purpose don't you?

fair comment, allyall.

The fact that the chief prosecutor is giving them a get out of jail card speaks volumes. And they only have to sing what they "know". That's kinda vague, wouldn't you say? If all they know are the names of a few contacts and they give that up then they've complied and could be free in weeks. Could be a few "hang 'em high" snarlers on here snarling even more.

Galwayguy35

MonaPizza wrote: »

fair comment, allyall.

The fact that the chief prosecutor is giving them a get out of jail card speaks volumes. And they only have to sing what they "know". That's kinda vague, wouldn't you say? If all they know are the names of a few contacts and they give that up then they've complied and could be free in weeks. Could be a few "hang 'em high" snarlers on here snarling even more.

Do you really think all they would have to do is list off a few names and that out be enough.

I imagine the police would want detailed information in return for any reduction in the sentence they might have to serve.

emo72

If the girls give up info, id say they would have to be kept in isolation from other prisoners that drug lords control. id certainly never feel safe if you go against those guys.

MonaPizza

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Do you really think all they would have to do is list off a few names and that out be enough.

I imagine the police would want detailed information in return for any reduction in the sentence they might have to serve.

Well I don't know, and neither do you. It went from everyone speculating that they are a pair of clueless assholes looking for a quick score who should be incarcerated for 18 to "they should just kill their B.S. story", to now being given a pass by the prosecutor simply for dropping some names.

You now seem to be so sure that they have to blow open an international drug cartel. That could take years yet they're offered freedom in two months.

MonaPizza

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Do you really think all they would have to do is list off a few names and that out be enough.

I imagine the police would want detailed information in return for any reduction in the sentence they might have to serve.

I'd imagine a lot of things too. Doesn't mean you have a clue what's going on.

Stheno

MonaPizza wrote: »

You now seem to be so sure that they have to blow open an international drug cartel. That could take years yet they're offered freedom in two months.

The prosecutor has come out and said that they have to supply more information than they currently have to even get that considered in relation to how reduced their sentence will be.

The evidence will be recorded and they would have to testify in future trials.

Galwayguy35

MonaPizza wrote: »

Well I don't know, and neither do you. It went from everyone speculating that they are a pair of clueless assholes looking for a quick score who should be incarcerated for 18 to "they should just kill their B.S. story", to now being given a pass by the prosecutor simply for dropping some names.

You now seem to be so sure that they have to blow open an international drug cartel. That could take years yet they're offered freedom in two months.

As I said before it will depend on the information they have to offer, that's how it usaully works ya know, the more valuable the information is the better the deal on the table would be.

And no, I don't think they were clueless at all, just greedy for easy money.

Galwayguy35

MonaPizza wrote: »

I'd imagine a lot of things too. Doesn't mean you have a clue what's going on.

No need to be rude.

A Dub in Glasgo

MonaPizza wrote: »

I'd imagine a lot of things too. Doesn't mean you have a clue what's going on.

It has been well documented that you do not have a clue what is going on

Menas

They are back in court now for their show and tell session with the prosecutors and judge. Big day for them.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Menas

Bun Alert.....bun alert. There is no bun. Repeat, there is no bun.

Paddy Cow

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

As I said before it will depend on the information they have to offer, that's how it usaully works ya know, the more valuable the information is the better the deal on the table would be.

And no, I don't think they were clueless at all, just greedy for easy money.

To be honest, I doubt the Peruvians are expecting that the girls will know anyone higher than the local drug dealers in Ibiza who set up the mule run. They are likely to know no more than the fake names of their handlers in Peru, who probably used unregistered PAYG phones to contact the girls.

I think the whole point of the prosecution dragging their heels is so that the girls will come clean and publicly admit that they weren't coerced and give a more believable account of this (even if it doesn't lead to any arrests) than their cock and bull kidnap story. This case has attracted a lot of attention and it has been seen numerous times on this thread where people feel sorry for the girls for "having to admit to being guilty, even though they aren't, only to get a reduced sentence. It's not justice etc".

I can't imagine the prosecution will want to set a precedence where it is seen that innocent people are pleading guilty because it was their only choice. That would open a can of pr worms. Better for them if the girls come clean, get sentenced like other drug mules and no one in the future can use this case to their advantage.

I don't know where the rumours that the girls could be out by Christmas if they provide information come from? (maybe I was reading that wrong ). Even if by some miracle two twenty year old girls had infiltrated high enough into a drugs cartel to do serious damage if they squealed, there is no way between now and Christmas the justice/legal system would move that fast. There would have to be massive cooperation between Peru and Spain and possibly Interpol (I'm not really up on all this, I only know from tv lol) to corroborate the information and set up stings to prove it and trap the "Big Bosses" etc.

Despite my lack of international drug trafficking knowledge, I can't see the girls having enough useful information to trade for their very early release. All I see is two girls who were stupid enough to try and smuggle cocaine for a quick few quid. They got caught, spun a tale and the media blew the story out of proportion. Net result was that the girls felt like they couldn't back down to save face and the Peruvians couldn't back down to save face. Only time will tell who wins this stand off.

TL:DR I haven't a clue what I am talking about and am only speculating but I will eat my hat if those girls are out before Christmas.

MonaPizza

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

It has been well documented that you do not have a clue what is going on

Is that a fact?

Elaborate, please...

Because if you're talking about everyone on here "knowing" what the state of affairs are then I'd love to hear a load of proof other than this cretinous "IMHO, 'probably', 'my opinion', blah blah"

And if you're still harking back to me stating that a daily occurrence is some pathetic kid getting binned in the US and not providing the "proof" than I'll get it for you...in spades.

Before I give you details from the Harvard Law Review, you should know that 10,000 innocents are banged up each year, and that is a conservative estimate according to judges, lawyers, and cops. And those are the ones that go to trial.
95% of all state to individual answers go to plea bargain.

So .... if 10,000 of the 5% are innocent, and they are the ones that go to trial, by a very rudimentary law of averages it's safe to assume that 1 a day get's fcuked in a plea bargain.....a daily occurrence as I initially elucidated.

Don't worry. I'll get you all the documentation you need regarding incompetent public defenders, exhausted stenographers, corrupt and "couldn't give a fcuk" cops/witnesses, etc.

But getting back to the issue at hand. These two twits have still not stood trial and only public opinion is their judge and jury.

MonaPizza

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

As I said before it will depend on the information they have to offer, that's how it usaully works ya know, the more valuable the information is the better the deal on the table would be.

And no, I don't think they were clueless at all, just greedy for easy money.

How do you know that "it" will depend on the information they have to offer?
How do you know that?
And how do you know "that's how it usually works" ?

Are you another guesser?

ya know

Menas

Hard to interpret the below statement from the prosecutor.
Their story is now that the whole thing was their idea and they decided to go to Peru on their own, buy the drugs and try to bring it back?

“Prosecutors do not believe that they alone took a plane from Spain to Peru, bought drugs and then tried to go back to Europe. They have got to give details about the members of the group they worked with,” Mendoza stressed.

Sentencing could be delayed until February to allow the prosecutors try to get to the bottom of this.

Mod

MonaPizza banned for continually baiting other posters.

Do not post on this thread once your ban is up.

Cunning Stunt

Paddy Cow wrote: »

I don't know where the rumours that the girls could be out by Christmas if they provide information come from? (maybe I was reading that wrong )

It was the Belfast telegraph which ran the story about them possibly being 'home for christmas'. I posted a link one or two pages back. Apparently they quoted directly from the chief prosecutor about the 2 month thing - though I also find it hard to believe...

fishy fishy

they seem to be in a fairly modern and free prison, and able to sit out all day and use phones etc. that will make it a lot easier for them. Don't think they will be inside for more than a couple years.

Penny Dreadful

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

It was the Belfast telegraph which ran the story about them possibly being 'home for christmas'. I posted a link one or two pages back. Apparently they quoted directly from the chief prosecutor about the 2 month thing - though I also find it hard to believe...

Maybe they meant Christmas 2014/2015:)

This whole thing of pretending to be kidnapped and forced at gunpoint to smuggle drugs was such a stupid move on the part of the girls.
I like to see countries like Peru stand up for themselves and say, you know what this kind of carry on is not acceptable and you're going to pay the price for trying to exploit us and our history.
The girls have in their stupidity and arrogance made things much harder for themselves.

Cunning Stunt

They didnt publish details of what was actually in the girls new 'declarations' to the court, and that makes me wonder if perhaps they did offer up some names...or are there other reasons to keep these things private?

Chris Dolmeth

It could be normal procedure.

If they 'sometimes' release details and other times do not, then it would be easy to infer, as you have, that they've spilled the beans, and that would make things pretty uncomfortable for them, and discourage anyone from ever giving anyone up.

chickcharnley

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Hard to interpret the below statement from the prosecutor.
Their story is now that the whole thing was their idea and they decided to go to Peru on their own, buy the drugs and try to bring it back?




Sentencing could be delayed until February to allow the prosecutors try to get to the bottom of this.

wonder what the nordie matlock has to say now especially since he said initially that they were coercied, he said he was going out there and would release a statement on this today/yesterday- matlock where are you?

Kidchameleon

chickcharnley wrote: »

wonder what the nordie matlock has to say now especially since he said initially that they were coercied, he said he was going out there and would release a statement on this today/yesterday- matlock where are you?

Well considering he believes their version of events (and we as yet have no evidence to the contrary) I'd imagine he will be plenty pis_sed.

Allyall

From what I'm reading, there are two versions in the newspapers, that the girls are now under investigation for the next 6 months. The proceedings of last nights court case are being held in reserve by the court.

One is that they are now claiming that they arranged everything themselves.. FFS.
If this is true, and they continue to waste more time belonging to the Peruvian justice system, lock them up for a long time, throw away the key if need be.
I don't believe that they organised it all themselves.

The more likely version that they gave, but i wouldn't believe it in it's entirity, is that they don't have any information, other than a Cockney lad named Jake or Jack. I doubt that. They would have descriptions of people, places, nicknames, cars, places that they went, dates, possible CCTV information etc..
They have been locked up roughly a month at this stage, they could have written it all down in their spare time.

Either version seems to be a big waste of time.

I'd be hoping for their families sakes, that they did give more information behind closed doors, and the 6 month investigation is to help interpol and local authorities apprehend people who are responsible for connecting a regular string of mules going to Peru.

Penny Dreadful

So out of interest I went onto the website set up to dontate money to get the Irish girl "back home where she belongs".
Interestingly the amount they are aiming to collect has been dropped to €10,000 from the initial €20,000 and close to €3400 is all that has been collected so far.
The messages are odd to read. Some are messages of support for the family and parents which I understand. Others though make out as though the girls are some sort of saints:rolleyes:
Others you can hardly understand because of the dreadful spelling.

chickcharnley

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

So out of interest I went onto the website set up to dontate money to get the Irish girl "back home where she belongs".
Interestingly the amount they are aiming to collect has been dropped to €10,000 from the initial €20,000 and close to €3400 is all that has been collected so far.
The messages are odd to read. Some are messages of support for the family and parents which I understand. Others though make out as though the girls are some sort of saints:rolleyes:
Others you can hardly understand because of the dreadful spelling.

could you please post a link to the website not that i will donate indeed far from it just to see the tomfoolery there

collidgedosser

chickcharnley wrote: »

could you please post a link to the website not that i will donate indeed far from it just to see the tomfoolery there

What sort of tomfoolery? Dont think its a fooling around kind of issue is it! That site is there to help her family as much as it is Michaella. Her family are decent people and as you can imagine (or maybe not) this has been hell for them. So if ya dont want to donate why dont ya go troll someone or whatever it is you do. Wise up ya clown

Menas

chickcharnley wrote: »

could you please post a link to the website not that i will donate indeed far from it just to see the tomfoolery there

You could donate to Melissa's fund too!

http://www.youcaring.com/other/melissa-reid-appeal-fund/84400

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

https://www.facebook.com/freemichaellamccollumconnolly

Menas

The comments on those fund pages continue to vary.

I'll gie youse £50 fur a pic o yer tits!

collidgedosser

Trigger Happy wrote: »

You could donate to Melissa's fund too!

http://www.youcaring.com/other/melissa-reid-appeal-fund/84400

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

https://www.facebook.com/freemichaellamccollumconnolly

Smart having a laugh at others misery, id love to see you do the same in front of her brothers Keith and Ryan

Penny Dreadful

Actually one thing that has jumped out at me after reading (or trying to) the comments on the donation site is how horrified people are at this girl being in prison in Peru. They mention how awful it is, their prisons are so bad, etc etc. How is it ok for other people to be locked up in these dreadful places but not ok for these Irish/Scottish girls?
Human rights are human rights no matter where you are from.
These two got caught with drugs in their possessions, drugs they knew they had on them, that much has never been in dispute. The how and the why of the drugs being there is a matter of dispute (supposedly) but they got caught breaking the law. Simple as that. If they got caught on the way back into Spain would there be the same hue and cry? I believe Spanish prisons aren't fabulous, actually I believe prisons everywhere are less than fabulous which is as they should be.

Allyall

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

actually I believe prisons everywhere are less than fabulous which is as they should be.

+1

There was an article a while back, very well written, about people's perceptions of prisons abroad. He questioned do Peruvian criminals fear Europen prison, kind of tongue in cheek, but made some good points. The prisons over there are not actually that bad. A lot of te reports about them are scaremongering, and much of the 'bad reviews' boil down to little more than the fact that they are 'foreign', 'abroad' and 'overcrowded'.

Most prisons are ovecrowded.

That article is linked somewhere in this thread.

collidgedosser

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Actually one thing that has jumped out at me after reading (or trying to) the comments on the donation site is how horrified people are at this girl being in prison in Peru. They mention how awful it is, their prisons are so bad, etc etc. How is it ok for other people to be locked up in these dreadful places but not ok for these Irish/Scottish girls?
Human rights are human rights no matter where you are from.
These two got caught with drugs in their possessions, drugs they knew they had on them, that much has never been in dispute. The how and the why of the drugs being there is a matter of dispute (supposedly) but they got caught breaking the law. Simple as that. If they got caught on the way back into Spain would there be the same hue and cry? I believe Spanish prisons aren't fabulous, actually I believe prisons everywhere are less than fabulous which is as they should be.

You must be joking right, conditions are appalling and access to the very basic facilities is limited, there were two americans girls, nearly identical case, over there who never had a shower or bath for there entire sentence. They stayed in same jail as michaella. Prisoners have buy there own food and other basic necessities, medical care is very limited, if you get ill and its serious they leave you waiting for days before u see an doctor in hospital, and to top it off females are regularily raped in prison over there. Dont think you have these worries in a spanish or Irish prison

I am pie

collidgedosser wrote: »

Smart having a laugh at others misery, id love to see you do the same in front of her brothers Keith and Ryan

Wise up.

Look, they smuggled drugs. They got caught, they are changing their story every second week and coming across pretty badly.

Sympathy is running pretty dry. Most people want to see them sentenced, to serve their time in acceptable conditions and to come home having learnt their lesson and apologetic. Not once have i heard them give out any warnings to young people telling them not to play the same stupid game they did.

Penny Dreadful

Allyall wrote: »

+1

There was an article a while back, very well written, about people's perceptions of prisons abroad. He questioned do Peruvian criminals fear Europen prison, kind of tongue in cheek, but made some good points. The prisons over there are not actually that bad. A lot of te reports about them are scaremongering, and much of the 'bad reviews' boil down to little more than the fact that they are 'foreign', 'abroad' and 'overcrowded'.

Most prisons are ovecrowded.

That article is linked somewhere in this thread.

Language barriers create a great deal of fear which is understandable.
So you have these two in prison in Peru and they don't speak Spanish and we're meant to feel sorry for them.
If we had 2 Spanish women in prison here in Mountjoy (medieval accommodation, over crowded, viscious criminals housed there, etc etc) who didn't speak English do you think we'd be busy feeling sorry for them? Nope, not at all and yet as a nation we're not up in arms about how Irish prisioners are housed in there.
Works both ways.

collidgedosser

Allyall wrote: »

+1

There was an article a while back, very well written, about people's perceptions of prisons abroad. He questioned do Peruvian criminals fear Europen prison, kind of tongue in cheek, but made some good points. The prisons over there are not actually that bad. A lot of te reports about them are scaremongering, and much of the 'bad reviews' boil down to little more than the fact that they are 'foreign', 'abroad' and 'overcrowded'.

Most prisons are ovecrowded.

That article is linked somewhere in this thread.

You do realise that in many south american systems the running of the jail is left up to the prisoners, and the leader is decided by violence (using firearms and grenades). The one positive aspect of foreign jails is the prisoners have more freedoms inside such as discos with there wives on sundays and such. But everything else can only be described as nightmarish. Have you seen any of those ****ty ross kemp type programs, 30 to a cell built for 5 or 6! Its inhumane and a serious health risk

chopper6

collidgedosser wrote: »

You must be joking right, conditions are appalling and access to the very basic facilities is limited, there were two americans girls, nearly identical case, over there who never had a shower or bath for there entire sentence. They stayed in same jail as michaella. Prisoners have buy there own food and other basic necessities, medical care is very limited, if you get ill and its serious they leave you waiting for days before u see an doctor in hospital, and to top it off females are regularily raped in prison over there. Dont think you have these worries in a spanish or Irish prison

Boo hoo...don't get sent there then

irish_goat

Trigger Happy wrote: »

The comments on those fund pages continue to vary.

Are you people for real?I wouldnt give these druggies the smell of yesterdays ****e

:pac::pac:

collidgedosser

chopper6 wrote: »

Boo hoo...don't get sent there then

so you have never taken a risk that could end badly then

I am pie

collidgedosser wrote: »

so you have never taken a risk that could end badly then

Are you asking if he has ever broken the law and got caught? They were smuggling coke, caught red handed. Let them do the time.

chopper6

collidgedosser wrote: »

so you have never taken a risk that could end badly then

I tell you one thing...I may have taken risks in my time but never something that would get me ten years in a latin American prison.


Or a thai prison for that matter...some things just aren't worth it but you just cant cure idiocy.