Schapelle Corby "Ganja Queen" Airs on HBO June 30

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:06:54 PM EST
Tags: Schapelle Corby (all tags)

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Since 2005, I've been following the case of Australian Schapelle Corby, sentenced to 20 years in an Indonesian hellhole of a prison for allegedly smuggling 10 pounds of pot into Bali in a boogie board on a vacation, despite some evidence the pot was planted, possibly by a ring of airline baggage handlers, although that theory has since been discredited.

Her story will be told in Ganja Queen, airing on HBO on Monday, June 30.

Ganja Queen is the harrowing story of Schapelle Corby, a young Australian woman who is accused of international drug trafficking after ten pounds of marijuana are found in one of her bags while on holiday in Bali. Proclaiming her innocence, she finds herself locked in a life-and-death courtroom battle. The film is a chilling reminder of the risks all travelers take when visiting countries with vastly different criminal justice systems and cultural mores.

On Friday, Schappelle was taken from the prison to an Indonesian hospital where she is on a suicide watch. Her last appeal was denied in March. [More...]

Here is a clip from Ganja Queen:

Here is Schapelle's official website.

Schapelle has always maintained her innocence. Here are the facts she presents to support her assertion:

Schapelle checked in her bag at Brisbane airport and neither she, nor her travelling companions, had any contact with it until after it arrived in Bali.

Schapelle's travelling companion's luggage and Schapelle's own luggage were also never searched.

Neither the Indonesian nor the Australian governments wanted to, or did investigate this case. There was no investigation into where or how Schapelle intended to sell the marijuana, if indeed the Bali police truly believed her guilty.

The Bali Police refused to analyse the marijuana that convicted her. Hair from those who grew it would be in the resin. They didn't want anyone to investigate. Later, this marijuana was destroyed, obliterating any chance it could be used to acquit Schapelle.

She likes to get letters. You can write to her at:

Schapelle Corby C/- LPM Kerobokan Jl.
Tangkuban Perahu Kerobokan,
Denpasar 80117 Bali, INDONESIA

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Schapelle Corby "Ganja Queen" Airs on HBO June 30 | 22 comments (22 topical)

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After watching Midnight Express, I would (none / 0) (#1)
by PssttCmere08 on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:16:45 PM EST

NEVER have the guts to try any drug smuggling outside of the U.S.....make that anywhere as that is not how I roll. But, I understand the temptation for some people.

that was a powerful movie. (5.00 / 0) (#8)
by thereyougo on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:38:06 PM EST

And yeah, especially being a woman in a muslim country.I can surmise that is probably one of the reasons she got the 20 Year sentence. Women who don't wear the abayas and other protective clothing shouldn't expect better in these 3rd world countries. She deserved it in their eyes, no human rights, sham courts. Big yikes.

Even the worthless lawyer got off. Proves the value of women there. Sad.

[ Parent ]

Umm -- Bali (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by camellia on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 06:29:23 PM EST

is part of Indonesia, but Bali itself is Hindu. Also, in the Muslim parts of Indonesia, women do not and never have worn the abaya nor any other concealing clothing. In fact, until relatively recently (i.e., the past 15 years) Indonesia itself was the most tolerant and open of Muslim countries. I lived there (actually during the years that Barack Obama was there), and found its women progressive and liberal in all ways. However, I would not want to spend any time in a prison in Indonesia, no matter how religiously tolerant the country.

[ Parent ]

: I stand corrected ! thanks :-) (none / 0) (#20)
by thereyougo on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 08:29:25 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Her lawyer (none / 0) (#2)
by jtaylorr on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:17:50 PM EST

admitted he fabricated the baggage handlers theory and has apologized to the baggage handlers.

he said that after she fired him (none / 0) (#3)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:24:55 PM EST

AU news:

She sacked Mr Tampoe, who no longer practises law, after she was sentenced to 20 years' jail.
Mr Tampoe says it is "more likely than not that somebody other than baggage handlers put the drugs in her bag".

He believes someone planted it. Some believe it was her brother.

If it wasn't her, and she didn't know about it, she shouldn't be in jail.

[ Parent ]

I agree. (none / 0) (#7)
by jtaylorr on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:35:46 PM EST

I've been following this for a while and I don't think she's guilty. Re-reading my previous comment, it does sound like I thought otherwise, so sorry.
But what I don't understand is why she turned down the Australian government's offer of two Queen's Council barristers.

[ Parent ]

Me neither (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by Rainsong on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 05:16:44 PM EST

I dont think she's guilty, but other possibilities exist, for example the possibility of others in her travelling party being the culprit, or a domestic drop that went wrong ie meant to be picked up before the luggage exited Australia, or was in the wrong luggage for the wrong flight.

Blaming airline baggage handlers was a mistake, but it could have been meant to be on short domestic inter-city flight where there is known domestic criminal drug rings operating.

Thing is, pot is easy and cheap to get locally in Bali, there's no need to take it with you, let alone such large amounts for a holiday. Also, so cheap on currency exchange rates, its not worth selling in Bali either.

What is unusual about Shapelle's case is the drug-trafficking that is caught, is usually leaving Bali (with high-cost drugs for the Australian market, eg heroin), not entering it with pot.

She's not the first Australian to be in this position in Indonesia. Politically, the two countries have been in a kind of Cold War for decades.

eg Australian Coast Guard and navy take potshots at Indonesian fishing fleets in Aussie waters all the time, Indonesia was a major stop-over port of exit for illegal immigrants (from Middle East, Afghanistan etc) to make the sea crossing, and Australian peace-keeping troops remain in East Timor. Not exactly friendly allies. Australia holds Indonesians in 'detention centres' or mini-Gitmos, usually for poaching in Australian coastal fishing grounds, and some of the trade treaties for natural gas drilling etc, haven't exactly been fair trade from Indonesia's point of view. Sometimes there have been diplomatic transfer of citizens, like exchanging prisoners /snark.

Bali the island is very popular holiday destination for Australians, because its so close and cheap, it attracts the young and the workingclass families for the cheap holidays.

There's an old popular song called "I've been to Bali too" making reverse class fun of the Aussie cultural snobby tradition of overseas travel - per head of capita, Australians travel more than any other country in the world. The globe-trotting Aussie snob, the in-joke about Bali is that being the workingclass destination, and the lines of the song go " Oh you've been to London, you've been to Berlin /snark - but I've been to Bali! I've been to Bali Ohhh.. I've been through airport Customs too".

Which only made the 2002 Bali bombings more grievous for Australians.

Anyway, the socio-political culture in brief, is that Indonesia often takes any pot-shot it can at Australians. I could be wrong, but I suspect Shapelle refused the offer of govt QCs because they were going to try for a diplomatic deal (eg having her returned to serve her sentence in an Australian facility), and she wanted to maintain her innocence.

[ Parent ]

: Great post! (none / 0) (#19)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 07:28:09 PM EST

Thanks for the information.

[ Parent ]

and may I also say (none / 0) (#5)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:28:57 PM EST

HBO has been doing some amazing stuff lately.
Showtime too.

your other off topic comment was deleted (none / 0) (#6)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:31:54 PM EST

this thread is about Schapelle.

[ Parent ]

: sorry (none / 0) (#9)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:45:30 PM EST

pot and planes and all.
I had been waiting for an open to ask you about that.

[ Parent ]

btw (none / 0) (#10)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 04:49:19 PM EST

I have a good friend who has a house in Thailand who had a similar experience but he managed to convince them it was not his.
it was in fact not his but I have no idea how he managed to convince them of that.
he is quite rich so a bribe may well have been involved.

logically (none / 0) (#12)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 05:01:17 PM EST

it seems there would be more danger coming to the US. you know, bringing it "in". but according to my friend it is just a common in either direction.
his experience was years ago. I dont even remember how many but quite a few, 10 or 15 at least.
I should email him.

You're Right (none / 0) (#14)
by JimWash08 on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 05:18:16 PM EST

I think because we were in Sydney (at that time, it was believed that the ring's Aussie members might have been in Sydney, Melbourne and one other city, I forget) we were more susceptible to it.

And ever since 2003, its quite difficult to travel abroad and not wonder if people in other countries have a serious hatred for ALL Americans, whether we were against the decisions of our esteemed President. But, I digress...

So, yeah, we were afraid that as young early 20s Americans, we would be easy "targets," if you know what I mean.

I have to admit that I still fear traveling outside the US. The only "foreign" land I've been to since summer 05 is Hawaii, and that is still the US.

[ Parent ]

: Travelling (none / 0) (#23)
by CST on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 12:30:19 PM EST

View of Americans depends greatly on where you travel. For example, I travelled recently to Namibia where they LOVED Americans (esp. compared to European tourists). A lot of countries in Africa (particularly the south) and places like Japan have no problems with Americans. The places you will have issues are places like Europe where there is a lot of Anti-U.S. sentiment on foreign policy. However, I wouldn't fear for my life there, just be prepared for dirty looks. I would be more tentative travelling to places that are significantly Muslim since we have damaged our reputation there more than anywhere, and many of those countries are less developed and therefore less security is in place for tourists.
South America has never been completely safe for anyone travelling, and the U.S.'s reputation there has never been great. I don't think it's significantly worse now though than it was pre-2003.

[ Parent ]

I have no desire to ever visit... (none / 0) (#16)
by AX10 on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 06:34:09 PM EST

these kinds of places.
Bad things happen in the first world countries, but the third world will always "take the cake".
This is not a hit at the impoverished peoples of these nations, but at their archaic governments.

: True (none / 0) (#18)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 07:25:38 PM EST

So many of them have dictatorships with kangaroo courts.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention Jeralyn. The trailer made the film look really interesting and I'll have to either watch it or tivo it.

[ Parent ]

In prison for a plant that grows anywhere (none / 0) (#17)
by MissBrainerd on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 06:50:22 PM EST

and isn't even harmful and this woman's life is destroyed. This world is so crazy sometimes I get depressed!

: Exactly (none / 0) (#21)
by Montague on Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 11:05:52 PM EST

The stuff shouldn't be illegal anyway. This is reminiscent of the earlier diary about pornography and community standards.

[ Parent ]
: It will drive you mad.... (none / 0) (#22)
by kdog on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:52:55 AM EST

no doubt about it.
Makes as much sense as caging a human being over 10 lbs. of lettuce.

[ Parent ]

My daughter (none / 0) (#24)
by weltec2 on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 12:13:47 AM EST

is traveling to Cambodia this summer with a group from her university to study the various ways that NGOs there are dealing with trafficking in women. Personally, I would just as soon she didn't go. But at least I can say check your bags. At no time or for any reason should you leave a bag unattended.