10:32 - 26 May, 2005
The Broken Wings of an Angel
Schapelle Corby was granted two tearful hours with her mother and father on the
eve of her judgement day, amid fears she won't be able to cope with a possible
guilty verdict and long jail sentence.
Meanwhile, Bali police have responded to safety fears by pledging tight security
around the island's main courthouse tomorrow when a three-judge panel hands
down its verdict in Corby's drug smuggling trial.
Corby's mother Rosleigh Rose and her terminally ill father Michael Corby emerged
stony-faced from a visit to their daughter in Bali's Kerobokan prison today,
pushing past waiting media.
When asked how her daughter was, Rose replied only: "Very stressed".
Later Rose issued a last appeal, telling reporters: "Let my daughter come
home - she's innocent, you know that."
Officially, Corby's defence team says it is expecting an acquittal tomorrow
on charges she tried to smuggle 4.1kg of marijuana into Denpasar Airport last
October.
However, there is no escaping the sense of gloom that seems to have come over
the lawyers in the past few days.
Defence lawyer Lily Lubis voiced fears about what would happen if Corby was
convicted and jailed.
"She won't survive, she won't survive," she said.
"God, please no, because she is innocent."
Defence lawyer Erwin Siregar said if the judges' verdict was guilty: "We
will not wait one day to appeal. Not one day, not one week."
Corby's financial backer Ron Bakir said little after visiting Corby separately
today.
But asked whether he thought the 27-year-old Gold Coast woman would be able
to cope with a lengthy prison term, he said: "I don't think so."
In contrast, Indonesian prosecutors appear confident of securing a conviction.
They hope the judges will follow their recommendation that Corby be sentenced
to life in prison although, on paper at least, the charges could still attract
the death penalty.
"Let's just wait until the verdict," said a smiling junior prosecutor,
Siti Sawiyah.
The trial's chief judge, Linton Sirait, claims to have never acquitted a drug
case during his career of more than 500 criminal trials.
He has appeared unmoved by Corby's emotion-charged pleas of innocence.
Sirait said the Corby decision would be handed down on schedule tomorrow from
9am local time (1100 AEST), with the three judges set to read a lengthy statement
before announcing their verdict.
He said the court had conducted a fair and honest trial according to Indonesian
legal standards and he was unconcerned by the controversy it has stirred in
Australia.
He has also not reacted to Corby's request that Prime Minister John Howard
and Indonesian President Bambang Yudhoyono intercede to save her.
The judge has expressed surprise at the saturation coverage of Corby's trial
by the Australian media.
"Why are you all here?" he said. "Why are you making it into
a big deal?"
Sirait said he was certain police would maintain security at court tomorrow
and that the verdict hearing would proceed smoothly.
Corby is said to be worried that an extremist might try to attack her at the
hearing.
Bakir also voiced concerns about security, telling Network Ten: "If something
does happen to the girl tomorrow no-one would ever live with themselves."
Bali police spokesman A S Reniban said more than 100 officers would guard the
court complex tomorrow while members of the elite mobile brigade, sometimes
used to quell rioting and unrest, would be on stand-by nearby.
Everyone attending, including Corby's family as well as supporters and Australian
tourists, will pass through a metal detector, while there will also be weapon
searches.
To maintain the dignity of the proceedings, to be televised live in Australia,
there will be a ban on shorts and flimsy clothing. All mobile phones must be
switched off.
"It will be safe. There will be nothing to worry about," said Reniban.
"It is our duty to guard her."
Late today, Corby's Indonesian lawyers emerged from the prison after a final
consultation with their client and gave an upbeat assessment of her chances.
"We strongly believe our client is innocent," said Lubis. "We
believe we will be going to take her home, maybe not tomorrow, but she will
be going home.
source
you can lead the sheep to water, but you can't make them think.
