corby's final plea just right: lawyer

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1355977.htm


Last Update: Friday, April 29, 2005. 8:21am (AEST)
Corby's final plea just right: lawyer
The legal team acting for Schapelle Corby says the Australian has done all she can to convince judges she is not guilty.

The lawyers are vowing to appeal against any guilty verdict that may be handed down in her case.

Corby yesterday delivered a tearful plea for freedom to the judges who are deciding her fate on charges of smuggling 4.1 kilograms of marijuana into Bali.

In her three-minute courtroom address, she again denied the charges and pleaded for her freedom.

She said she had suffered enough during the seven months she had already spent in jail for a crime she claims was committed by "a tactless drug smuggling network".

A member of her legal team, Vasu Rasiah, has told Channel Nine that he is confident Corby did all she could yesterday to convince the judges to set her free.

"She made a very emotional plea, a short, sharp one, and that's what we needed for that moment," he said.

"A longer one, a lengthier one, a more detailed one wouldn't have done her any good.

"What she had done yesterday was exactly what she wanted."

Mr Rasiah says Corby's tearful plea made an emotional impact.

"It moved everybody. There were almost tears on everybody's eyes including most of the judges - eyes were all clouded up," he said.

"Throughout the courtroom you could see it was very moving."

Mr Rasiah also says he is puzzled by the statement from the judge that he is 75 per cent decided on what sentence Corby should be given.

"I'm surprised the judge can come openly and make a statement like that," he said.

"My gut feeling is that they are experienced judges - they can see there is nothing conclusively that says Schapelle is guilty."