Peru drug smuggling case - READ OP BEFORE POSTING

token101

Jesus this is the most stage managed trial I've ever seen! It's got commentary FFS!!! Even OJ didn't get commentary!! I'm waiting for Neville and Carragher to pop up here and start offering some tips on Michaela's defence.

Menas

Roger_007 wrote: »

The fact that all this is happening in Peru is influencing opinion. If the exactly same thing occurred in Dublin or Cork, nobody would be getting too exercised about it. In fact it would hardly make the news. There is a 'nasty foreigner' prejudice in all this hype.

I think there are a number of factors that make this story interesting.
1) The fact that Michaella was reported missing
2) That she then turns up in a peru police station under arrest.
3) That they are young and female
4) That the trail that led them to Peru is long and unclear. Ibiza, Mallorca, Lima, Machu..
5) That they have a pretty incredible story.
6) That much of their lives is so publically accessible via facebook
7) That there are so many open questions and things that do not add up.
8) That via BUA we have others who have been locked up for something similar.


I could go on, but the point is that two male sweaty heads arrested in Dublin airport with 11kg of coke is just not as interesting a story.
Equally despicable crime in my opinion...but just not as interesting.
As this is a discussion forum people naturally want to discuss it.

Amazingfun

This is so bizarre, but it looks like Michaela is now wearing the exact same green shirt with the white collar that Melissa was wearing yesterday.

marc96

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

reading accounts of other cases there it appears as if you can get a huge part of your sentence off, sentenced to 6 years out in 2.5 years.

I know a guy who I grew up with in prison in Argentina,caught with 5kgs and only got 2and half years.being released in December.has a smart phone in prison and left me messages in FB.did 4 previous runs and only fought on the 5th one.tbh I expected him to get 15yrs.i think these girls are going to get done if time because if all the media and lies they telling.just my opinion tho

FloatingVoter

I wonder if the scriptwriters for "Orange Is The New Black" are following this. Possible second season spoilers included.

The bushman

Amazingfun wrote: »

This is so bizarre, but it looks like Michaela is now wearing the exact same green shirt with the white collar that Melissa was wearing yesterday.

Ya,I spotted that also,that green top is getting a lot of wear!

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Amirani

marc96 wrote: »

I know a guy who I grew up with in prison in Argentina,caught with 5kgs and only got 2and half years.being released in December.has a smart phone in prison and left me messages in FB.did 4 previous runs and only fought on the 5th one.tbh I expected him to get 15yrs.i think these girls are going to get done if time because if all the media and lies they telling.just my opinion tho

Quite unfortunate that you had to grow up in prison in Argentina.

The bushman

In the court now the girls have been informed that it could take three years for their trial to get underway, and if found guilty they face a sentence between eight to fifteen years.

Idbatterim

I'm waiting for Neville and Carragher to pop up here and start offering some tips on Michaela's defence.

Nevilles likely reaction if they get off!

Amazingfun

The bushman wrote: »

Ya,I spotted that also,that green top is getting a lot of wear!

And Melissa is wearing the famous Black jacket that Michaela had on!

The bushman

I can see why it might take three years for the trial to start- a couple of minutes into this hearing and they adjourned for a fifteen minute break!!

marc96

NiallSparky wrote: »

Quite unfortunate that you had to grow up in prison in Argentina.

Lol u know what I mean.

gitane007

Anyone got a link to the live feed?

_Kaiser_

gitane007 wrote: »

Anyone got a link to the live feed?

You're not missing much... it's extremely poor quality and pixellated on Sky News here

Amazingfun

gitane007 wrote: »

Anyone got a link to the live feed?

http://news.sky.com/templates/watch-live

Amazingfun

It's amazing to see how crap the feed is in this day and age. A friggen web-cam would be better.

Also sucks that they keep moving away from the trial, the American stations are brilliant for showing the full trials.....frustrating.

(sorry, not trial, hearing.)

Phoebas

Amazingfun wrote: »

And Melissa is wearing the famous Black jacket that Michaela had on!

**** B R E A K I N G N E W S *****

Its from Zara
https://twitter.com/LadyM_McManus/status/370119600626991104/photo/1

JohnCleary

Can anyone post me a link to their court appearance? Missed the live stream

Idbatterim

In the court now the girls have been informed that it could take three years for their trial to get underway

what happens if they plead guilty? how long until they know how long they were going to serve?

Amazingfun

JohnCleary wrote: »

Can anyone post me a link to their court appearance? Missed the live stream

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2397844/British-drug-mules-appear-court-charged-drug-smuggling-informed-unlikely-granted-bail.html

Amazingfun

Idbatterim wrote: »

what happens if they plead guilty? how long until they know how long they were going to serve?

I am guessing (barring some miracle) that by the time it goes to trial they will plead guilty. According to what we've heard so far, that could be anywhere from 6 months to three years!

tipptom

JohnCleary wrote: »

Can anyone post me a link to their court appearance? Missed the live stream

Jebus,this is turning in to natural born killers,"In the media circus of life,they were the main attraction","A bold new film that takes a look at a country seduced by fame,obsessed by crime and consumed by media".

Has anyone asked them yet if Machu Picchu is overrated or is it worth the trek?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Rightwing

tipptom wrote: »

Jebus,this is turning in to natural born killers,"In the media circus of life,they were the main attraction","A bold new film that takes a look at a country seduced by fame,obsessed by crime and consumed by media".

Has anyone asked them yet if Machu Picchu is overrated or is it worth the trek?[/QUOTE]

Chuckle chuckle.

Amirani

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Not particularly surprising.

The bushman

Phoebas wrote: »

**** B R E A K I N G N E W S *****

Its from Zara
https://twitter.com/LadyM_McManus/status/370119600626991104/photo/1

:-) Zara could post out a few outfits to Peru to michaella seeing as she has shifted a few jackets for them!

Amirani

The bushman wrote: »

:-) Zara could post out a few outfits to Peru to michaella seeing as she has shifted a few jackets for them!

Using people accused of smuggling cocaine doesn't generally make for a great marketing image.

onemorechance

I am still baffled as to why they would plead not guilty if it means waiting in jail for 3 years for a trial, while pleading guilty would mean a trial within 6 -12 months (I think I read this) and out in 2, likely minus time served.

Surely any lawyer will advice a client to take the option that means the least amount of time in prison; it's not like their reputations will be any more tainted by pleading guilty, especially as it seems the evidence is likely to find them guilty anyway.

Menas

Prosecutor says that there was a pic of them posing with a policeman in peru on Melissa's camera -according to sky news.. FFS.

This solicitor guy, is kind of annoying me.

from the Dailymail


''Miss Connolly's lawyer, Peter Madden, who yesterday visited the women at the Palace of Justice, said he feared for their physical and mental health.
He told the Daily Mail last night: ‘They are in a horrific situation, in a dirty and cramped cell.
‘They have no bedding and they have not been given any food. I have asked for them to be given mattresses or I will go and buy some.''

Can you imagine the other prisoners when these two young wans roll in with brand new bedding and mattresses?? Is he trying to get them battered or what?


The girls look like it has hit home for them now. Melissa looks petrified

Amazingfun

onemorechance wrote: »

I am still baffled as to why they would plead not guilty if it means waiting in jail for 3 years for a trial, while pleading guilty would mean a trial within 6 -12 months (I think I read this) and out in 2, likely minus time served.

Surely any lawyer will advice a client to take the option that means the least amount of time in prison; it's not like their reputations will be any more tainted by pleading guilty, especially as it seems the evidence is likely to find them guilty anyway.

I agree, but I don't think that time served counts for much there. Pretty sure someone said earlier that it's not counted.

Maybe people were right about their legal counsel? If he is telling them to plead not guilty, they need to lose him and fast.

The bushman

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Prosecutor says that there was a pic of them posing with a policeman in peru on Melissa's camera -according to sky news.. FFS.

This just keeps getting better

In my own opinion, even if these girls were to plead guilty now I think they will receive a sentence at the higher end of the scale,as in more than the two to three years that has been mentioned if there is a guilty plea, if only to make an example of the girls with all the media interest in this story.

Boombastic

The bushman wrote: »

:-) Zara could post out a few outfits to Peru to michaella seeing as she has shifted a few jackets for them!

The could put a few pockets in them....for carrying stuff

Boombastic

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Prosecutor says that there was a pic of them posing with a policeman in peru on Melissa's camera -according to sky news.. FFS.

Has he got his hat on? because if he didn't, he couldn't have arrested the menacing kidnappers anyway

The bushman

Boombastic wrote: »

The could put a few pockets in them....for carrying stuff

A special 'porridge' pocket :-)

MonaPizza

I notice that they haven't been charged with drug trafficking or possession but with the rather strange "promotion of drug trafficking".

Is this a lesser charge? I mean "promoting assault" or "promoting murder", while probably serious and sinister is not the same as battering or killing someone.

If they plead guilty to this "promotion" charge would they get an even lesser sentence like a few months as it would be akin to having an online campaign encouraging people to run drugs across international borders?

Weird

CastingCouch

Is it finished now? They've pleaded not guilty and will go to a trial where both sides will argue the case?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

CastingCouch

*Possibly* the girls are believing their own story about being forced to do it.

They might have been given the idea by the dealer friend of Michaella, wanted to back out but told they had to do it. Still not forced to do it but they might feel they were.

chopper6

That nordie lawyer is gonna get them even more time by parroting thier line to the media...and whinging about the peruvian legal system and prisons.

Phoebas

MonaPizza wrote: »

I notice that they haven't been charged with drug trafficking or possession but with the rather strange "promotion of drug trafficking".

Is this a lesser charge? I mean "promoting assault" or "promoting murder", while probably serious and sinister is not the same as battering or killing someone.

If they plead guilty to this "promotion" charge would they get an even lesser sentence like a few months as it would be akin to having an online campaign encouraging people to run drugs across international borders?

Weird

I think its shorthand for 'possession for the purposes of drug trafficking' as opposed to possession for some other purpose.

I think the judge outlined the sentence range in court - max 15 years.

Amazingfun

chopper6 wrote: »

That nordie lawyer is gonna get them even more time by parroting thier line to the media...and whinging about the peruvian legal system and prisons.

I initially thought him an asset, but I no longer think so, he doesn't seem to be doing much to assist them really. And I saw a weird quote from him saying that he wanted them to be given mattresses, and that if they weren't, he'd have to bring them some himself. All I could think was: get them the bloody mattresses ya dolt!

CastingCouch

How did Melissa get caught up in this, IF the Michaella being in debt story is true?

Cody Pomeray

CastingCouch wrote: »

How did Melissa get caught up in this, IF the Michaella being in debt story is true?

The debt story only attempts to explain Michaela McCollum Connolly's alleged motivation. Obviously the Scottish girl would have her own alleged motivations.

chopper6

CastingCouch wrote: »

How did Melissa get caught up in this, IF the Michaella being in debt story is true?

Prolly in debt too....or she was one of the consortium that set the whole amateur show up.

Menas

CastingCouch wrote: »

How did Melissa get caught up in this, IF the Michaella being in debt story is true?

IMO it will be the same story. She was either in debt to Popeye or one of his cronies or she was made an offer of cash and holiday in peru that she was too greedy to refuse. The truth could be somewhere in the middle.

Amazingfun

Ancon 2 it is, according to this:
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/peru-court-sends-michaella-to-prison-to-await-drug-smuggling-trial-29517956.html

21 AUGUST 2013

IRISH woman Michaella McCollum Connolly has been refused bail and sent to prison an hour north of Lima to await trial on drug smuggling charges.

The 20-year-old appeared in court earlier this evening along with British co-accused Melissa Reid.

The two look set to be transferred to a women’s prison called Ancon 2 after a night in holding cells at a court in Callao yesterday.

Last night they were been formally charged by Peruvian prosecutors in relation to allegations she attempted to smuggle €1.7m of cocaine to Spain.

The two women were escorted to and from the offices by police escort amid massive media attention.

Irish model Michaella, who is from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, and Melissa, who is from Glasgow, were ‘formally charged’ last night.

Peruvian prosecutors say that both women face a maximum of 15 years in jail if they are found guilty.

dundalkfc10

Phoebas wrote: »

I think its shorthand for 'possession for the purposes of drug trafficking' as opposed to possession for some other purpose.

I think the judge outlined the sentence range in court - max 15 years.

No the prosecutor recommended between 8 and 15 yrs

Phoebas

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

No the prosecutor recommended between 8 and 15 yrs

Ok. That's obviously an allowable range for the offence. Its going to be a very long sentence.