A member of the Bali Nine drug ring is seeking a judicial review of his life sentence, using a letter from the Australian Federal Police as new evidence.
Australian Martin Eric Stephens was arrested at Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai Airport on April 17, 2005, with the eight other smugglers. They were found with 8.9 kilograms of heroin worth $3.5 million strapped to their bodies that they were planning to bring back to Australia .
He was sentenced to life in prison in 2006, a sentence later upheld by a higher court and the Supreme Court.
In the judicial review request, Stephens argued against the Supreme Court’s verdict refusing his appeal for a lighter sentence.
He attached as new evidence an official letter dated April 1, 2009, from the AFP describing him as a “minor” player in the heroin-smuggling operation. The letter was sent to his defense team and signed by former AFP commissioner Mick Keelty. It is unclear why the year-old letter is only being filed as evidence now.
Keelty wrote that Stephens’ role in the attempted importation of heroin was considered to be minor and there was no indication that Stephens was an organizer or aware of the details regarding the importation of drugs.
The letter also said the AFP had no information indicating that Stephens was involved in any previous smuggling.
Keelty said the information was based on the testimony of Renae Lawrence, the only female member of the Bali Nine.
“It is the AFP’s view that Martin’s knowledge of the importation was limited to his first involvement in an importation of drugs and therefore he was unable to offer a similar level of cooperation,” the letter said.
The judicial review request was filed by Stephens’ lawyer, Wirawan Adnan, to the Denpasar District Court.
“We received the judicial review file on April 9,” court clerk Ketut Gede Rantam said on Tuesday. The court is scheduled to hold a hearing on May 7 to test the new evidence. “After the hearing, we will send the file to the Supreme Court and the decision is up to them,” Rantam added.
If the request is denied, the only avenue remaining is a direct plea for presidential clemency, which is the same legal option Schapelle Corby, another Australian convicted of drug smuggling, recently sought.
Three of the Bali Nine members — Myuran Sukumaran, Andrew Chan and Scott Anthony Rush — are currently on death row and are reportedly in the process of requesting judicial reviews as well.
Australian Martin Eric Stephens was arrested at Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai Airport on April 17, 2005, with the eight other smugglers. They were found with 8.9 kilograms of heroin worth $3.5 million strapped to their bodies that they were planning to bring back to Australia .
He was sentenced to life in prison in 2006, a sentence later upheld by a higher court and the Supreme Court.
In the judicial review request, Stephens argued against the Supreme Court’s verdict refusing his appeal for a lighter sentence.
He attached as new evidence an official letter dated April 1, 2009, from the AFP describing him as a “minor” player in the heroin-smuggling operation. The letter was sent to his defense team and signed by former AFP commissioner Mick Keelty. It is unclear why the year-old letter is only being filed as evidence now.
Keelty wrote that Stephens’ role in the attempted importation of heroin was considered to be minor and there was no indication that Stephens was an organizer or aware of the details regarding the importation of drugs.
The letter also said the AFP had no information indicating that Stephens was involved in any previous smuggling.
Keelty said the information was based on the testimony of Renae Lawrence, the only female member of the Bali Nine.
“It is the AFP’s view that Martin’s knowledge of the importation was limited to his first involvement in an importation of drugs and therefore he was unable to offer a similar level of cooperation,” the letter said.
The judicial review request was filed by Stephens’ lawyer, Wirawan Adnan, to the Denpasar District Court.
“We received the judicial review file on April 9,” court clerk Ketut Gede Rantam said on Tuesday. The court is scheduled to hold a hearing on May 7 to test the new evidence. “After the hearing, we will send the file to the Supreme Court and the decision is up to them,” Rantam added.
If the request is denied, the only avenue remaining is a direct plea for presidential clemency, which is the same legal option Schapelle Corby, another Australian convicted of drug smuggling, recently sought.
Three of the Bali Nine members — Myuran Sukumaran, Andrew Chan and Scott Anthony Rush — are currently on death row and are reportedly in the process of requesting judicial reviews as well.
