GUILTY Bali - Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62, found dead in suitcase, 12 Aug 2014 #4

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Weezer Fan said:
It sounds to mean that HM is in a panic.

Her Indonesian lawyer, Ary Soenardi has only received 1/3 of his promised money. The trial has started, and I don't know what happened in Wed. court because all we have so far is pictures. Maybe Soenardi didn't show up since he doesn't have all his money? Maybe the judges/prosecution are getting testy waiting for their $$? Maybe they have threatened her to get the rest of the money, or else??

The above linked story says she fired her US attorney's because, "Mack accused her attorneys of obstructing the release of the funds and, thus, "denying me a fair chance of defending myself." So, she thinks her US attorney's are holding up the balance of the $150,000 (maybe they want to get paid first?). However, it was also stated in above links that there has not been a billing statement to explain what services were provided, and that is why no more money has been sent.

Then she calls the judge in the US directly, because she doesn't know what to do. She is figuring out that she is up a creek without a paddle. And they don't seem to care about her "attitude".
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I kind of enjoying this. She's trying to control everything and it is backfiring in a huge way and maybe she is starting to think no one cares about her in Indonesia and her fake wedding ring, her cross around her neck and her baby belly isnt swaying things her way.
 
Hiandmighty said:
I kind of enjoying this. She's trying to control everything and it is backfiring in a huge way and maybe she is starting to think no one cares about her in Indonesia and her fake wedding ring, her cross around her neck and her baby belly isnt swaying things her way.
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I agree. Very encouraging turn of events. More and more people are on to the cunning HM. Can't wait to see what Judge Cohen makes of this.
 
If a person is convicted of murder can they get custody of a child? Thinking if HM is convicted but only serves a short sentence could she get custody? IMO. She will never agree to adoption, this baby has already become a meal ticket. Jmo

ciao
 
Kamille said:
The motion for Scifo to withdraw is rich...

4zux06.png


http://www.scribd.com/doc/254711303/Mack-Motions

A breakdown in communications just before this was to go to trial and he didn't get her all her money. Her attitude, you know what it do.

:floorlaugh:

MOO
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The motion is boilerplate language, pretty much a standard motion to withdraw.
 
It would be really interesting to know how that first $50,000 was allocated. Even though The Trib says that Soenardi got the first payment of $50,000. Did they assume it was the whole $50,000? Did HM just say that he got his 'first payment'?

To me, it seems that it could not all have gone to Ary Soenardi, especially without a proper account being submitted. Would that have been fair? There were 4 lawyers to be paid for their part in the proceedings to date, plus HM’s monthly stipend.

If the $150,000 was for HM’s legal defense, surely that would mean all of her defense team – not just Soenardi.

My guess is that Elkin, Favia, and Scifo got paid - as they would have submitted accounts - some money got allocated for HM’s monthly stipend for the next few months of the trial, and Soenardi got some.
 
SouthAussie said:
It would be really interesting to know how that first $50,000 was allocated. Even though The Trib says that Soenardi got the first payment of $50,000. Did they assume it was the whole $50,000? Did HM just say that he got his 'first payment'?

To me, it seems that it could not all have gone to Ary Soenardi, especially without a proper account being submitted. Would that have been fair? There were 4 lawyers to be paid for their part in the proceedings to date, plus HM’s monthly stipend.

If the $150,000 was for HM’s legal defense, surely that would mean all of her defense team – not just Soenardi.

My guess is that Elkin, Favia, and Scifo got paid - as they would have submitted accounts - some money got allocated for HM’s monthly stipend for the next few months of the trial, and Soenardi got some.
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I believe the monthly stipend is above and beyond the $150,000. I would assume this months payment was put into the account at the consulate and the two Australian women get that money. And I believe the first $50,000 was probably sent there too. Elkin seems to have disappeared from this, Scifo wants out and there is a motion for Favia to be removed. I'd imagine that those three have submitted their itemized bills and they are being scrutinized by the trustee before they will be brought before the judge for more funds to be released. I think if the lawyers that HM claims she fired had taken a chunk out of AS's first installment, she would have mentioned that in her interview with the newspaper.

MOO
 
Kamille said:
I believe the monthly stipend is above and beyond the $150,000. I would assume this months payment was put into the account at the consulate and the two Australian women get that money. And I believe the first $50,000 was probably sent there too. Elkin seems to have disappeared from this, Scifo wants out and there is a motion for Favia to be removed. I'd imagine that those three have submitted their itemized bills and they are being scrutinized by the trustee before they will be brought before the judge for more funds to be released. I think if the lawyers that HM claims she fired had taken a chunk out of AS's first installment, she would have mentioned that in her interview with the newspaper.

MOO
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Yes, maybe you are right. I think that I am just taking these words literally ... and presuming that the $150,000 encompasses all legal fees and food/care costs.


"In Illinois, Judge Neil Cohen ruled on Tuesday that Mack can have access to $150,000 of her trust fund to pay legal bills and food costs."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/20/us-usa-illinois-indonesia-idUSKBN0KT2GM20150120
 
SouthAussie said:
Yes, maybe you are right. I think that I am just taking these words literally ... and presuming that the $150,000 encompasses all legal fees and food/care costs.


"In Illinois, Judge Neil Cohen ruled on Tuesday that Mack can have access to $150,000 of her trust fund to pay legal bills and food costs."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/20/us-usa-illinois-indonesia-idUSKBN0KT2GM20150120
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Well this quote from Scifo should make it clear what the $150,000 is for...


Scifo said in the news release that the disbursement of funds will not go to lawyers but "to validate to Indonesian attorneys overseas that funds exist for Heather's legal defense."

http://tablet.oakpark.com/News/Arti...ney-for-criminal-defense-in-her-murder-trial/

Interesting way to put it. ;)
 
Kamille said:
Well this quote from Scifo should make it clear what the $150,000 is for...


Scifo said in the news release that the disbursement of funds will not go to lawyers but "to validate to Indonesian attorneys overseas that funds exist for Heather's legal defense."

http://tablet.oakpark.com/News/Arti...ney-for-criminal-defense-in-her-murder-trial/

Interesting way to put it. ;)
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Yeah ... that sounds like lawyer-speak to me. I wonder if Judge Cohen's actual ruling is available for perusal anywhere? Would be interesting to see the actual wording of it, then we could maybe more accurately figure out the final destination of all of the funds.


ETA: Just to clarify, I am interested because I just can't see a judge placing a possible open-ended amount on a trust fund for her legal defense and care. Especially when it is obvious that Sheila wanted that money watched carefully, and without HM frittering it away before she turned 30. And particularly when the possibility of Indonesian corruption has been raised. I think that Judge Cohen would have estimated the cost of an average murder trial, thrown in an estimate for HM's food/care expenses, and stipulated that amount be allocated - and if more costs arose another judicial review would be held. (It truly is not because I am grumpy over Andrew and Myuran's situation. :mad: )
 
SouthAussie said:
Yeah ... that sounds like lawyer-speak to me. I wonder if Judge Cohen's actual ruling is available for perusal anywhere? Would be interesting to see the actual wording of it, then we could maybe more accurately figure out the final destination of all of the funds.


ETA: Just to clarify, I am interested because I just can't see a judge placing a possible open-ended amount on a trust fund for her legal defense and care. Especially when it is obvious that Sheila wanted that money watched carefully, and without HM frittering it away before she turned 30. And particularly when the possibility of Indonesian corruption has been raised. I think that Judge Cohen would have estimated the cost of an average murder trial, thrown in an estimate for HM's food/care expenses, and stipulated that amount be allocated - and if more costs arose another judicial review would be held. (It truly is not because I am grumpy over Andrew and Myuran's situation. :mad: )
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I tried to go back over the posts regarding the court hearings on this. Originally the judge had stated that funds could be released for her defence. No amount. But at the time he stipulated that there were concerns regarding her attorney of choice and that she had to retain a different attorney. She refused and insisted on Ary Soenardi. So the judge allocated the $150,000 to be dispersed but stated in 3 weekly installments of $50,000 but only the first one immediately. The second and third installment was to be released upon itemized statements from HM's attorney submitted to the trustee that he had appointed. Apparently such a statement was never forthcoming, the 2nd and 3rd installment were not released, HM blamed all the US attorneys for this and claims she fired them. That statement was probably for the benefit of AS to make him think she was dealing appropriately with the problem and that it would be resolved with new attorneys. She then tried to call the judge to make her plea and get those funds released. Or to get new attorneys who could make it happen. She just doesn't have a clue. She feels she's entitled and she's desperate because the trial has started and she doesn't know what will happen at this point if AS doesn't get the rest of his money. But I have no doubt he got the 1st installment. I believe HM even said he did?

It appears to me as though all the attorneys, trustees and the judge are quite aware at this point what is going on. And they are faced with a dilemma. How do they, in good conscience, release another $100,000 "blank check" to an attorney in Indonesia who is known for getting foreigners light sentences if they have the funds to pay him without any questions as to what they are paying for? In other words a bribe. And Judge Cohen himself used the word before releasing the funds. So he knew then that it was possible that is what the funds are for. Which is why he put the stipulation of changing attorneys and getting itemized statements. And if they do release another blank check, how do they release it from the estate of the woman who was murdered to pay for her murderer to likely either go free or get a very reduced sentence? At the express rejection of such a payment from the trustee that this murdered victim appointed to take care of her estate who also happens to be a grieving sibling. And all this knowing that there is an innocent child, yet to be born, mixed up in all this who is a beneficiary of the estate should her mother be convicted but whom the mother wants to keep in an Indonesian prison for as long as possible and keep her parental rights intact so that she can still lay claim to the estate via the baby in case the slayer law does apply. Not to mention the public is not at all sympathetic to her plight so there is no one rallying on her behalf.

Keeping in mind also that HM and her attorneys all the while are claiming that she will likely be executed if they don't release these funds (which is actually more highly unlikely based on what we've seen of murder convictions over there) without really stipulating how these funds will prevent that. If she's so sure she'll be executed without these funds, then she must also be sure that she will be convicted of first degree premeditated murder because she is guilty of that based on the evidence, especially the text messages.

What a mess.

MOO
 
I'm so glad HM is having her meltdown. I felt that Judge Cohen initially was unjustifiably harsh about Wiese's intentions. Maybe now he's starting to get a clearer picture of who he's dealing with. He had to have known that there's no way to enforce the requirement for an itemized bill. Even if he gets one, how can he verify the charges are real?

I've been looking at the dramatic change between TS's early appearance and now. I think HM's paying Soenardi to make the premeditation charges go away for both of them. TS no longer looks worried.

HM seems to be finding out the hard way that not everyone will keep coming back for more abuse like her mother did. Some people won't even do it for $. Interesting that she chose to try to bypass her 'legal team' completely and go straight to the judge. I wonder why she didn't try to contact the new trustee?

IIRC, the $50K payments go from the US (trustee) to the US Embassy in Bali. The Embassy will then pass the funds along.
 
Kamille said:
Welcome Weezer Fan! :welcome:

Great sleuthing! I see Ms Favia is trying to circumvent all kinds of legal boundaries to get her money. Or more appropriately, get at Sheila's money. Remember this is the same attorney who set up a crowdsourcing fund raiser site in the name of a Christian charity that is also in her name to provide funds to the mother of an unborn child who is currently up on charges of murdering her own mother. She's got ethics coming out the wazoo that one. ;)

Okay off to do some reading. But just by skimming, what attorney uses gmail as their official email account? :notgood:

Orange Tabby is going to have a field day with these. :)

MOO
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I'm back at my computer and very annoyed that there is still no news of what happened during the trial's first day of evidence.

So your post made me smile, in spite of my frustrations. Thank you, Kamille!

I've read all the current posts and am now trying to digest the latest untasty installment of Days of our Lawyers, the soap opera too true to be believable.

Welcome, Weezer Fan! It's always great to see new contributors, and doubly so when their debut includes such important information as you have provided.
 
Kamille said:
I believe the monthly stipend is above and beyond the $150,000. I would assume this months payment was put into the account at the consulate and the two Australian women get that money. And I believe the first $50,000 was probably sent there too. Elkin seems to have disappeared from this, Scifo wants out and there is a motion for Favia to be removed. I'd imagine that those three have submitted their itemized bills and they are being scrutinized by the trustee before they will be brought before the judge for more funds to be released. I think if the lawyers that HM claims she fired had taken a chunk out of AS's first installment, she would have mentioned that in her interview with the newspaper.
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[BBM]

I've gone back and looked this up, and you are absolutely correct Kamille.

On January 20, Judge Cohen ruled that $150,000 from the trust fund set up by Sheila could be used to pay for Ary Soenardi. But as we know, there were some restrictions put on that disbursement, including itemized accounts.

Separately, he also ruled that $2,240 should be released. The Sun-Times reported that it was to pay for future food for Heather, based on an estimate that the trial would take four months. The Chicago Tribune reported that it was for food and medical expenses.

I think the $2,240 was often omitted from subsequent press accounts because the amount is so puny compared to the $150,000 -- in spite of the fact that the sum is quite generous when considering Bali prices.

These were two distinct decisions by Judge Cohen.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/news-chi...t-heather-mack

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#sectio.../p2p-82580594/
 
Kamille said:
What is 69 W Washington?
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I know others have already provided some info on this, but as someone who has been in both the building the call (purportedly from Heather) came from as well as the building the call went to (housing Judge Cohen's chambers), I'll jump in too.

69 W. Washington is in downtown Chicago. It is on the south side of the street, between Clark and Dearborn.

50 W. Washington is across the street, on the north side of Washington.

Some of you who have been to Chicago may have stopped for a moment here, or even taken a photo. This is because in front of 50 W. Washington there is a huge Picasso sculpture, the centerpiece of Daley Plaza.

69 W. Washington is the Cook County Office Building which houses various departments, including the office of the Cook County Clerk, who is the chief election authority in the county. (Insert your own joke about voter fraud here.)

50 W. Washington is Daley Center, the home of the Chancery Division of the Cook County Circuit Court, where Neil Cohen serves as a judge.

So Judge Cohen’s clerk, who wrote up the memo about the calls from someone identifying herself as Heather Mack, knew that the caller ID was telling her that the call was coming from across the street.

The theory that the caller was indeed Heather, that she connected to some office in the Cook County Office Building, and was transferred to Judge Cohen’s clerk is interesting. I don’t know if the two buildings would have such a call-transferring capacity. Cook County is not renowned for its efficiency or splendid customer service. But I cannot say that this theory is incorrect, particularly because it's hard to imagine a prankster using a phone number which would lead back to her.

One additional element to this story is that when it's 9 a.m. here in Chicago, it is 11 p.m. in Bali. I'm sure Heather's "roommates" could not have been pleased with her nocturnal phone jabberings, if it was indeed Heather.

Here’s a link to the internet letterhead of the Circuit Court of Cook County (where the chief judge is a man who was once my alderman), which includes a photo of the Picasso sculpture, and a few scraps of info about the Chancery Division, where Judge Cohen toils.

http://www.cookcountycourt.org/ABOUTTHECOURT/CountyDepartment/ChanceryDivision.aspx
 
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