Pubdate: Sun, 29 May 2005
Source: Sunday Times (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact: http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/letters/letters.html
Website: http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/438
Author: Clare Harvey
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/schapelle+corby

PERTH RELATIVE SAYS BATTLE FOR SCHAPELLE IS FAR FROM OVER

Melissa Younger, Schapelle Corby's Perth cousin, spoke yesterday of
the family's horror and frustration at the 20-year sentence.

But she said the Corby family was "calmer" and ready to continue the
battle for Corby's freedom.

Weekend jail restrictions at Bali's Kerobokan Prison mean the family
is unable to see her until tomorrow.

Ms Younger, 33, of Fremantle, said there was a funeral-like atmosphere
when the Corbys gathered at a secret location after Schapelle was
found guilty of drug trafficking.

Ms Younger told The Sunday Times the family was emotionally
shattered.

"I had a translator next to me and I thought, `OK they're just going
to go through everything, they're going through our witnesses'," she
said.

"But then they started saying that all of our witnesses were invalid -
that it doesn't mean anything.

"It's just frustrating.

"There's so many holes in this. It's taken so long then it's the end
and all of a sudden it's 20 years.

"I thought, because of everything that's been presented to them,
`That's not right, 20 years' - and now the prosecutors want more.

"And that's why my aunty and my cousin went off.

"My aunty (Schapelle's mother) is fine. She's a really strong
lady."

The family was already planning the appeal.

"Now it's into stage two, we have to sort that out today," Ms Younger
said.

"Everyone's really exhausted, but we have to get on with
it."

In the chaos that erupted after the verdict, the family was escorted
away in separate cars.

"Everyone went kind of a bit crazy," Ms Younger said, describing the
chaotic scenes outside the court.

A family friend fractured his foot and one of their drivers injured
his ribs on a car door as the crowd pushed him.

"It sounds surreal. It was surreal," Ms Younger said.

When they were reunited the family had a chance to comfort each
other.

"We were in a place where we could just hang out together," Ms Younger
said.

"People who wanted to cry could cry. If people wanted to drink they
could drink and we could talk."

Corby's parents Rosleigh Rose and Michael Corby, sister Mercedes and
Ms Younger have not seen her since the verdict.

Ms Younger said she was stressed that Corby would not have proper
food.

"I think she has some tinned tuna, but she can't eat the prison food
and we can't get in or out on weekends," she said.

Ms Younger sat behind Mercedes in court during the 2 1/2-hour verdict
delivered by three judges.

After the sentencing, Corby's mother shouted that the judges had
"taken the word of a liar", referring to the Customs official who told
the court her daughter was reluctant to open her body bag.

Similar scenes were repeated outside the court where Mercedes vented
her anger and frustration in front of the cameras.
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