Peru drug smuggling case - READ OP BEFORE POSTING

Amazingfun

Chancer3001 wrote: »

i just corrected the inaccuracy that this is newsworthy all over the world.

No you didn't, lol.

BuilderPlumber

Clearly, they were smuggling them for someone else. Maybe a boyfriend? It all reminds me of that scene from Love/Hate when one of the drug dealers tells his girlfriend to bring the drugs through the airport and customs because she was not known. That's what seems to be the case here.

Sarah Jane.

allthedoyles wrote: »

• No food all day Tuesday
• Brother not allowed a visit
• Expected to lie on the floor
• sponge type bed - with no blankets
• Dirty conditions
• water

Good. It's not a hotel they are in. Prison is where you are sent if you have broken the law. It's not meant to be nice. This will make these girls learn a valuable lesson. The Irish prisons could take a leaf out of their book. Think about who and where these drugs were going to.. then would you feel sorry for them

joe stodge

Sarah Jane. wrote: »

Good. It's not a hotel they are in. Prison is where you are sent if you have broken the law. It's not meant to be nice. This will make these girls learn a valuable lesson. The Irish prisons could take a leaf out of their book. Think about who and where these drugs were going to.. then would you feel sorry for them

She was able to do her hair though.

Boombastic

joe stodge wrote: »

She was able to do her hair though.

and swap clothes?? Although I'm thinking maybe they were washed and given back to the wrong girl??

amacca

token101 wrote: »

Jesus if you were that hard up you'd be better off robbing a bank in Norway or Belgium. You'd get more money, you'd have some control over your own destiny and far more of a chance of getting away with it. And even if you were caught, you'd get a comparatively light sentence in a nice comfy cell in an extremely safe prison.

Personally...I'd choose Belgium...for the creme brûlée.

joe stodge

Boombastic wrote: »

and swap clothes?? Although I'm thinking maybe they were washed and given back to the wrong girl??

I don't really pay much attention to her clothes, just that orb of hair on her head. It's astounding.

My name is URL

[*]Abandoned
[*] Alaska State Troopers
[*] America's Lost Treasures
[*] American Chainsaw
[*] American Colony: Meet the Hutterites
[*] American Gypsies
[*] American Weed
[*] Amish: Out of Order
[*] Apocalypse 101
[*] Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?
[*] Battleground Afghanistan
[*] Beast Hunter
[*] Bid & Destroy
[*] Border Wars
[*] Breakout
[*] Chasing UFOs
[*] Diggers
[*] Doomsday Castle
[*] Doomsday Preppers
[*] Drugged
[*] Drugs, Inc.
[*] Explorer
[*] Eyewitness War
[*] Family Beef
[*] Family Guns
[*] Forecast: Disaster
[*] Going Ape
[*] Hard Time
[*] Hell on the Highway
[*] Highway Thru Hell
[*] Inside Combat Rescue
[*] Inside the American Mob
[*] Inside: Secret America
[*] Let it Ride
[*] Life Below Zero
[*] Locked Up Abroad
[*] Lords of War
[*] Mountain Movers
[*] Mudcats
[*] Polygamy USA
[*] Rocket City Rednecks
[*] Snake Salvation
[*] Taboo
[*] The Link
[*] The Numbers Game
[*] The Truth Behind
[*] To Catch a Smuggler
[*] Ultimate Factories
[*] Ultimate Survival Alaska
[*] Wicked Tuna
[*] Wild Amazon
[*] Wild Justice
[*] Witness: Disaster
[*] Yukon Gold


Just a list of current shows commissioned by National Geographic.. for those who think that 'Banged Up Abroad' is in any way accurate in its depictions.

TheLastMohican

Specialun wrote: »

they must smell

Easy flag for sniffer dog

Amazingfun

My name is URL wrote: »

Just a list of current shows commissioned by National Geographic.. for those who think that 'Banged Up Abroad' is in any way accurate in its depictions.

How 'not accurate' are the accounts, exactly? And how do you know?

Boombastic

The clothes thing highlights how sometime things happen/reported that don't make sense

Because they do not have any clean clothes, they were wearing each others outfits from the previous day.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2397844/Terrified-handcuffed-British-drug-mules-leave-Peru-court-jail-refused-bail-trafficking-charges.html#ixzz2ceblHkGd
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Now I would rather wear my own sweaty clothes than someone elses sweaty clothes

Stheno

gowley wrote: »

so remand is taken into account. they get out of prison.

Boombastic wrote: »

The clothes thing highlights how sometime things happen/reported that don't make sense




Now I would rather wear my own sweaty clothes than someone elses sweaty clothes

I thought exactly the same

Norwesterner

Amazingfun wrote: »

Unreal, and the expensive lawyer still counseled them to plead not guilty??

WHY?

He thought he was in a Belfast Court where everyone's terrified of getting sued if the food is bad, the bed is uncomfortable or nobody believes your story.

hatrickpatrick

SyntonFenix wrote: »

With modern technology it's not like the old days where you had one photo of the accused on the front page of a newspaper, then sit back for a few months waiting for evidence to come out in the trial.

It's all there to see in the photos published. These women are associated with the drug culture on Ibiza, they worked in bars in San Antonio.

I can understand giving people the benefit of the doubt sometimes. In this case, it's fairly obvious to me there was no kidnapping, they got offered to travel to Peru, smuggle some drugs and make some easy money. They got caught. I've seen no evidence yet to support otherwise.

They haven't been found guilty by a court of law, ergo they are innocent. They will be innocent until and unless such a court finds them guilty. End of.

Jesus Wept

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

They haven't been found guilty by a court of law, ergo they are innocent. They will be innocent until and unless such a court finds them guilty. End of.

Presumed is cool word.

just_be_nice

Has anyone read or heard any news item relating to the pros and cons of pleading not-guilty vs guilty in terms of likely actual jail time to be served?

A guilty plea, likely a much shorter time to a sentencing trial, the potential of 2-3 years, time off for good behaviour, seems a no-brainer when the wait time for a trial is possibly 3 years plus 15 if found guilty, which is a strong possibility based on current evidence.

It does not seem like Peter Madden has been of any use to Michaella so far; she has pleaded not guilty, didn't get bail, and might have to wait up to 3 years to see if she will face another 15.

He must have something up his sleeve, but unless he organised a prison break, there seems to be nothing more that can be done but wait months or years for the trial.

SyntonFenix

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

They haven't been found guilty by a court of law, ergo they are innocent. They will be innocent until and unless such a court finds them guilty. End of.

That is true. All I'm saying, from the story so far, I don't believe they are. I do know for a fact that they were in possession of 11kg of cocaine and in the process of trying to get back to Ibiza, but got caught.

just_be_nice wrote: »

He must have something up his sleeve, but unless he organised a prison break, there seems to be nothing more that can be done but wait months or years for the trial.

I still think he's going to say that he thinks they're innocent, but can't prove it and advise a guilty plea.

just_be_nice

SyntonFenix wrote: »

That is true. All I'm saying, from the story so far, I don't believe they are. I do know for a fact that they were in possession of 11kg of cocaine and in the process of trying to get back to Ibiza, but got caught.



I still think he's going to say that he thinks they're innocent, but can't prove it and advise a guilty plea.

Is it not too late for that now? They have entered their plea and are now just waiting for the trial.

I guess they can talk to the prosecutor at any time to see if they are open to a deal, but again I don't see why this hasn't been done already; he must have something up his sleeve . . .

SyntonFenix

just_be_nice wrote: »

Is it not too late for that now? They have entered their plea and are now just waiting for the trial.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/peru-court-sends-michaella-to-prison-to-await-drug-smuggling-trial-29517956.html

At the hearing, the judge questioned why the women did not ask for help when they had the opportunity at Lima airport.

The women told the court they were being threatened by "someone anonymous", according to Sky News.

By someone anonymous!? Are they for real? They could be looking at anything from 6 to 25 years in prison, they have a chance to tell a judge their side of the story and they come up with that?

Mr Madden said they had effectively begun serving a prison sentence after they were refused bail.

"Their main concern at the minute is that they may be separated, sent to different prisons," he said.

"They are very concerned that might happen. They did not know each other before this started, they have now become best friends."

I would have thought their main concern was proving their story.

And now their best friends. Some lawyer this chap is.

Phoebas

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

They haven't been found guilty by a court of law, ergo they are innocent. They will be innocent until and unless such a court finds them guilty. End of.

Eh? They're only innocent if they didn't do it. The presumption of innocence is a legal construct and applies to the justice process, not to discussion forums.

Phoebas

SyntonFenix wrote: »

I would have thought their main concern was proving their story.

You're not even attempting to comment on what he said:

"Their main concern at the minute is that they may be separated, sent to different prisons," he said.

DeanAustin

I hope that "someone anonymous" bit is just lacking context. Written like that, it looks absolutely pathetic and is almost as bad as saying they were the brains behind the whole thing.

miss_shadow

Apparently they want donations to pay for their legal fees! I dono, I think the whole thing is fake for some reason.

MooShop

They definitely made a huge error of judgement. I don't believe the story they have come out with, they are very young girls and probably didn't understand the gravity of the situation when they told that story. Now they probably feel they have to stick by it.

Maybe similar to the story of these girls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvSGY69XnX4

Apologies if that link has been posted previously!

Funk It

miss_shadow wrote: »

Apparently they want donations to pay for their legal fees! I dono, I think the whole thing is fake for some reason.

Well, it was Michealla's lawyer Peter Madden who was in the papers at the weekend asking for donations to help support the cost of bringing the family out there and for legal proceedings.

So basically from my take on it he was asking readers to pay his wages.

SyntonFenix

Phoebas wrote: »

You're not even attempting to comment on what he said:

Why are they in jail, at the moment? Because they got caught smuggling drugs and have a seriously weak story saying they were forced to do it.

Why do they need to go to the same prison? Oh yeah, I forgot, they're now best friends. :rolleyes:

LittleMissDiva

Does anybody know if Melissas Dad is still there?

prizefighter

In fairness if there was any doubt they'd tried to cross an international border with drugs then the presumption of innocence would be stronger. They've accepted they tried to cross the border with an illegal substance but their plea of not guilty rests on mitigating circumstances of coercion. I always assumed things like drug smuggling were a strict liability offence in the sense that regardless of factors it is a criminal offence. It'd be like someone claiming that they didn't know drug smuggling was illegal and therefore deserve to be acquitted based on their ignorance of the law. Even if coercion or duress is it is a crime.

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

They haven't been found guilty by a court of law, ergo they are innocent. They will be innocent until and unless such a court finds them guilty. End of.

jester77

I feel sorry for their families. These girls are going to be spending a long time there no matter what happens now and no one can deny that they don't deserve that.

But what do you do if you are a parent? Would the girls even have access to a telephone? As a parent, you can't exactly move there and visiting them even once a year is something that most parents would probably not be able to afford. It's not just their own lives that these girls have messed up.

Tigger

jester77 wrote: »

I feel sorry for their families. These girls are going to be spending a long time there no matter what happens now and no one can deny that they don't deserve that.
.

I deny that they don't deserve it

Kidchameleon

Phoebas wrote: »

Eh? They're only innocent if they didn't do it. The presumption of innocence is a legal construct and applies to the justice process, not to discussion forums.

Theres alot of presumtion of guilt here though

Oryx

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Theres alot of presumtion of guilt here though

So? We're not trying them, the Peruvian justice system is. As with any other news story, we are pulling apart and discussing the facts as we know them.

I do feel sorry for the girls at the moment. (Which isn't the same thing as saying they should be let come home). They were pressured/coerced/convinced to go to Peru by persons unknown, who played on their naivete or gullibility to get them to go. However it happened, they let other people influence them and look how it ended up. Now, they are yet again at the mercy of other people who are making decisions for them. (Their legal team). And who knows how it will end up.

Yo Mamma

Oryx wrote: »

And who knows how it will end up.

Painfully, I'd imagine !

bucketybuck

jester77 wrote: »

These girls are going to be spending a long time there no matter what happens now and no one can deny that they don't deserve that.

They are drug smugglers, they damn well do deserve it, without question.

SyntonFenix

Kidchameleon wrote: »

Theres alot of presumtion of guilt here though

Michaela and Melissa have 2 to 3 years to get their story straight, no rush.

SyntonFenix

Being discussed on RTE Radio 1 now.

kylith

MooShop wrote: »

They definitely made a huge error of judgement. I don't believe the story they have come out with, they are very young girls and probably didn't understand the gravity of the situation when they told that story. Now they probably feel they have to stick by it.

Maybe similar to the story of these girls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvSGY69XnX4

Apologies if that link has been posted previously!

Bollox are they 'very young girls'. A lot of the mothers of people on Boards, and probably some Boardsies themselves, would have been married and running a house at the age of 20. They are grown women who have been incredibly stupid. If they didn't understand the gravity of the situation it's down to sheer stupidity, and probably arrogance, not age.

Grayson

SyntonFenix wrote: »

Michaela and Melissa have 2 to 3 years to get their story straight, no rush.

And 2-3 years for the tabloids to fetch up any incriminating photo's/statements

MooShop

kylith wrote: »

Bollox are they 'very young girls'. A lot of the mothers of people on Boards, and probably some Boardsies themselves, would have been married and running a house at the age of 20. They are grown women who have been incredibly stupid. If they didn't understand the gravity of the situation it's down to sheer stupidity, and probably arrogance, not age.

I wasn't trying to make an excuse for them, I was merely pointing out how immature they were to even think they would get away with it. I don't but their story about being forced into it. I posted that link as I thought there may be some similarities as to how they were talked into it etc. I totally agree with what you said by the way.

lukesmom

Interesting talk on radio 1 about it now

Ash.J.Williams

lukesmom wrote: »

Interesting talk on radio 1 about it now

what are they saying?

Wabbit Ears

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

They haven't been found guilty by a court of law, ergo they are innocent. They will be innocent until and unless such a court finds them guilty. End of.

In Peru, apparently, This is not the case, you are guilty until proven innocent, and they have already admitted guilt.

lukesmom

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

what are they saying?

Ah they were just talking about young people in general going to Ibiza and how some fall into the drugs world. Mentioned Michaella and Melissa just a few times. It was an author who had studied the lifestyle and written a book on the subject.

TextureLikeSun

Apologies if this has been mentioned already-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2399473/Peru-drug-mules-wishlist-families-didnt-time-buy-going-cell.html

They handed a 'wishlist' to their families -items included in it was strawberry jam, Nutella chocolate spread, baby oil, Nivea moisturiser, croissants, Pringles crisps, hair removal cream and a pack of cards.

Pringles my arse

bucketybuck

TextureLikeSun wrote: »

Pringles my arse

Probably hoping to smuggle a few things in the Pringle can.

hardCopy

bucketybuck wrote: »

Probably hoping to smuggle a few things in the Pringle can.

Moar hairsrpay! :pac:

Phoebas

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

In Peru, apparently, This is not the case, you are guilty until proven innocent, and they have already admitted guilt.

^^ ALL of this post is nonsense.

Phoebas

SyntonFenix wrote: »

Why do they need to go to the same prison? Oh yeah, I forgot, they're now best friends. :rolleyes:

They'd want to be in jail together because you don't know anyone else whatsoever. That's perfectly understandable to anyone with an ounce of sense - they don't have to be 'best friends' :rolleyes:

Amazingfun

Phoebas wrote: »

They'd want to be in jail together because you don't know anyone else whatsoever. That's perfectly understandable to anyone with an ounce of sense - they don't have to be 'best friends' :rolleyes:

Blame the seemingly useless lawyer for that unfortunate line.

Kidchameleon

Oryx wrote: »

So? We're not trying them, the Peruvian justice system is.

That's fine but people shouldn't have a go at those who presume their innocence either. Everyone has an opinion and are entitled to it.