GUILTY Bali - Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62, found dead in suitcase, 12 Aug 2014 #5

[IslandLover]

Not sure if this article has been posted before. If so, apologies.

Heather Mack, Convicted of ‘Suitcase Murder’ of Mom, Turns 2-Year-Old Daughter Over to a Guardian from Bali Prison

http://people.com/crime/heather-mack-daughter-turned-over-guardian-bali-prison-suitcase-murder/

The article mentions that HM has a Los Angeles-based attorney, Brian Claypool, and there are some pictures and videos exclusive to People.

 

[SouthAussie]

Not sure if this article has been posted before. If so, apologies.

Heather Mack, Convicted of ‘Suitcase Murder’ of Mom, Turns 2-Year-Old Daughter Over to a Guardian from Bali Prison

http://people.com/crime/heather-mack-daughter-turned-over-guardian-bali-prison-suitcase-murder/

The article mentions that HM has a Los Angeles-based attorney, Brian Claypool, and there are some pictures and videos exclusive to People.

That is very interesting.

Firstly, because Claypool is based in Los Angeles ... which could easily be Heather's landing point when she is deported back to the US.

Secondly, because of this ....

An area close to Mr. Claypool’s heart has been as a child and civil rights advocate.

Mr. Claypool learned early on, through the heroic example of his parents, about fighting tirelessly for the rights of others.

On a personal note, Mr. Claypool is a proud, single daddy of a precious little girl who is the light of his life.

http://www.brianclaypoolmedia.com/about-brian/

 

[FigTree]

Not sure if this article has been posted before. If so, apologies.

Heather Mack, Convicted of ‘Suitcase Murder’ of Mom, Turns 2-Year-Old Daughter Over to a Guardian from Bali Prison

http://people.com/crime/heather-mack-daughter-turned-over-guardian-bali-prison-suitcase-murder/

The article mentions that HM has a Los Angeles-based attorney, Brian Claypool, and there are some pictures and videos exclusive to People.

Thanks Island Lover -

just in case people cant get to the link -

POSTED ON MARCH 17, 2017 AT 8:33AM EDT
Heather Mack, Convicted of ‘Suitcase Murder’ of Mom, Turns 2-Year-Old Daughter Over to a Guardian from Bali Prison
BY JOHNNY DODD

“For nine months and two years I have loved and cared for my baby in the strangest of situations,” Mack tells PEOPLE
shortly after handing over her daughter to a woman who has agreed to care for the child until Mack’s release from prison in 2025.
-----
“Stella never dreamed of being born into a life here with me at Kerobokan prison.
But for us, it has been a beautiful two years. We wake up together and we hold each other when we fall asleep. She is everything to me.”
-----
Suartama — who is married to a Balinese man and has two young sons — met Mack shortly after her arrest for the grisly murder as Suartama
was at the Bali police station translating for visitors who didn’t speak Indonesian.
She spotted the pregnant Mack sleeping on the floor and soon began bringing food and prenatal vitamins to the expectant mother and paying for her medical care.

-----
“More than two years ago I opened up my heart to Heather and Stella and today we open up our home to Stella who I will love as my own,” Suartama tells PEOPLE not long after she completed the hour-long drive from the prison to her family’s home. “This isn’t goodbye. Stella and her mom will continue their precious bond for the years to come.”
The mother and daughter will have regular weekly visits at the prison.
-----
“Heather is heartbroken,” says Mack’s Los Angeles-based attorney Brian Claypool. “But she’s thankful for Oshar, who has been involved in every phase of Stella’s life.”
-----
During the couple’s 2015 trial, Mack’s defense attorney argued Schaefer killed von Wiese-Mack with a metal fruit bowl following an argument over Mack’s pregnancy while Mack hid in the bathroom of their luxury hotel suite.
_______________________________


embedded video at link
All photos exclusive of People online

 

[FigTree]

That is very interesting.

Firstly, because Claypool is based in Los Angeles ... which could easily be Heather's landing point when she is deported back to the US.

Secondly, because of this ....

Who is paying for all these lawyers? OS?
So whats the pay-off?
There has to be money being handed over somewhere for all of this - so who is paying?


I would just like to add something here which may not be relevant now, but in the future, and to other children from families who are poorer in this country.
I am seeing something which is much akin to the way children were opportunistically removed from mothers/single parents & poor parents which looked good under the cloak of charity auspice and humanitarian rights for the child, but was a disaster in the long term.

I hope that this precedent (out sourcing the child to carers possibly without both parents full consent) does not end up becoming something normal - or is not something that is already 'normal' - when there is blood family relatives who are prepared and readily willing to care for the child - (including those who are not Indonesian citizens).
How easy is it to take a child from an incarcerated mother and hand him/her over to 'carers' with legal and government approval - especially when you are poor, and not
given the same rights to the another parent. Is this is a one parent approval system?
Stella's situation may have a good outcome - but the possibility for complications to arise are immeasurable, not only to this situation, but to others in the future.

... and it may seem like an over-reaction on my behalf - then so be it.
Just some thoughts.

 

[Kamille]

Does this mean there's a chance HM will be charged in the US with conspiracy? Or will she get away with that too.

Boy we could sure have used your legal knowledge over the past few months gitana. Glad to see you here on the thread. As far as the conspiracy part of the crime, so far the FBI have identified TS's cousin RB as a conspirator based on texts between him and TS on TS's cell phone. He has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing this month. TS's phone was either not passcode protected or he voluntarily gave the passcode to Bali LE. I'm betting on the latter because he was probably very scared and does not operate the way HM does. I don't think he had any prior arrests or real run ins with police so he probably felt he had to do as they asked. Apparently there were FBI officers stationed in Bali who helped Bali LE get access to information in TS's phone.

Naturally defiant HM would not give the passcode to her phone to anyone so even though Bali LE have had that phone since her arrest, they were unable to access it. Which was fine because they didn't use any of the texts between her and TS that they did have access to anyway, to dispute the nonsense that was spewed by TS and HM about what happened. I credit HM's $150,000 payout to her Bali attorney for the text messages being disregarded and for the prosecution not to bring in the obvious evidence of premeditated murder.

So anyway, apparently the FBI finally received HM's phone last fall and they now have a warrant to get into it. So they will either hack their way into it or send a warrant to Apple for access. But there have been some issues with regards to Apple giving out passcodes to LE so I'm not sure how that will work out. I suppose the FBI are looking for any texts HM sent to anyone other than TS or RB regarding her plans for her mother to see if anyone else is involved in this conspiracy. I think we have yet to see any confirmation that they are prepared to lay conspiracy charges on HM and TS but it appears that HM believes it's a possibility and has chosen to plead the fifth to any questions during a slayer hearing because of this ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI.

I hope I've got that all right. I'm sure someone else here can correct anything I've gotten wrong.

MOO

 

[FigTree]

I don't really think there needs to be a DNA test: HM gave birth to KW! Stella is the spitting image of her grandmother. MOO

She looks so much like her father - Two peas in a pod.
I wonder how much that irks HM.

 

[Kamille]

So what did People pay for those interviews and "exclusive" photos and that they obviously got from OS? Since HM can't profit from her crime, who is to say that OS can't?

MOO

 

[Kamille]

That is very interesting.

Firstly, because Claypool is based in Los Angeles ... which could easily be Heather's landing point when she is deported back to the US.

Secondly, because of this ....

Probably needs an LA based attorney to handle all the "exclusive" interviews and the payouts for them. Maybe they're shopping a movie of the week too? No wonder HM was trying to cover Stella from the press in the prison. Probably already had this "exclusive" interview and photo op deal with People and wanted to be able to sell the pictures of Stella from the hand off day rather than having the press get them for free.

MOO

 

[FigTree]

Boy we could sure have used your legal knowledge over the past few months gitana. Glad to see you here on the thread. As far as the conspiracy part of the crime, so far the FBI have identified TS's cousin RB as a conspirator based on texts between him and TS on TS's cell phone. He has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing this month. TS's phone was either not passcode protected or he voluntarily gave the passcode to Bali LE. I'm betting on the latter because he was probably very scared and does not operate the way HM does. I don't think he had any prior arrests or real run ins with police so he probably felt he had to do as they asked. Apparently there were FBI officers stationed in Bali who helped Bali LE get access to information in TS's phone.

Naturally defiant HM would not give the passcode to her phone to anyone so even though Bali LE have had that phone since her arrest, they were unable to access it. Which was fine because they didn't use any of the texts between her and TS that they did have access to anyway, to dispute the nonsense that was spewed by TS and HM about what happened. I credit HM's $150,000 payout to her Bali attorney for the text messages being disregarded and for the prosecution not to bring in the obvious evidence of premeditated murder.

So anyway, apparently the FBI finally received HM's phone last fall and they now have a warrant to get into it. So they will either hack their way into it or send a warrant to Apple for access. But there have been some issues with regards to Apple giving out passcodes to LE so I'm not sure how that will work out. I suppose the FBI are looking for any texts HM sent to anyone other than TS or RB regarding her plans for her mother to see if anyone else is involved in this conspiracy. I think we have yet to see any confirmation that they are prepared to lay conspiracy charges on HM and TS but it appears that HM believes it's a possibility and has chosen to plead the fifth to any questions during a slayer hearing because of this ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI.

I hope I've got that all right. I'm sure someone else here can correct anything I've gotten wrong.

MOO

Seems good Kamille
Hi gitana1 - sorry I was getting there to reply too, but am coming also off Kamilles post.

Bibbs txts
Title: Criminal complaint against Robert Ryan Justin Bibbs, charged with conspiring to kill the mother of Heather Mack.
Bibbs is the cousin of Mack's boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer.
FBI report - contains 30 pages - the texts which Bibbs & TS sent to each other...
https://www.scribd.com/document/282522590/Bibbs-Complaint-Filed#


Oct 4th 2015
Chicago Tribune
Texts may be daughter's undoing in Bali trust fund case
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-bali-heather-mack-texts-met-20151013-story.html


But, months after their tearful trial testimonies won them leniency in an Indonesian courtroom, federal authorities allege recently released text messages between the lovers — who refer to themselves as Bonnie and Clyde — expose a far more sinister plot.
-----
"Literally cant wait," Heather Mack said of her mother's planned demise, according to a federal affidavit that contains pages of typo-filled messages between the two in the hours before the Aug. 12, 2014, slaying. The affidavit was made public after the arrest last month of a cousin of Mack's boyfriend on charges he coached them on how to get away with murder to glean the wealthy woman's money.
-----
Lawyers for Sheila von Wiese-Mack's brother on Wednesday were granted approval by Cook County Judge Neil Cohen to file a petition seeking to invoke a state law that bars Heather Mack and her boyfriend from reaping any financial benefit from their crime.
-----
Authorities allege Mack and Schaefer openly communicated in text messages about their murderous plot and used the phrase "saying hi," as code for the actual moment of attack. They nicknamed each other "Bonnie and Clyde," a nod to the notorious 1930s outlaw couple.

Schaefer deleted many of the text messages but authorities retrieved them, federal officials said.
On the day of the murder, at 8:20 a.m., Mack is alleged to have texted Schaefer, "Theres no better time to say hi is there?"
For the next 37 minutes, Mack and Schaefer set their deadly plan into action.

"Go with your gut baby ... I'll be outside! If u need me I'll hear it," Schaefer texted.
Mack then allegedly wrote: "Just come here."

In response, Schaefer texted: "I promise you heather. All you have to do g. Is get her weak ... I'll be standing by the door. Coming now."
He continued, "Relax. Ur Bonnie. Do it."

Mack texted back: "G i think i need you in here too. Okay ill try."
Schaefer responded: "Try your best. We got nothin to lose right now. Trust me baby. I got you. Can u wack her in the head with a big (expletive) pole."

Later, Mack asks: "Will she ko (knock out)."
Schaefer: "Yes."

After Mack persists in asking Schaefer for help, he responds: "No. Must knock her out. Must. Listen and shut the (expletive) up already ... Ur so stupid."

Authorities allege Schaefer texted Mack a photo of the murder weapon — a metal fruit stand from his room — as he advised her with what to attack her mother.

Between 8:35 and 8:40 a.m., authorities said, Schaefer is seen on hotel surveillance footage with something beneath his shirt as he walks on the third floor where the two women were staying. He then sneaked into a bathroom in their suite, and the couple continued to text, the affidavit states.

"Now? ... Okay slow but don't keep the door open for too long," Mack texted to Schaefer. "Too much light comes in. Text when yiure in. Slow g quiet. If i talk at all just come in quick."
After more back and forth, she continued: "Good job. Stay over there. Shes facing the other way. Plan?"
Schaefer: "She's so awake."
Mack responds: "Sufcte her (suffocate her)."
Schaefer: "(Expletive) I gotta hit her."

In response, Mack asks: "Cant we sfcate (suffocate) her together."

Later, she asks: "Is that thing (fruit stand) hard enough ... Im coming to see it. Im telling her im getting water."

The texts, as well as Facebook messages, formed the basis for the recent arrest of Schaefer's cousin, Robert Bibbs, 24, of Chicago, who is charged
with federal conspiracy to commit the murder of a U.S. citizen on foreign soil.

Prosecutors said Bibbs plotted with the couple on how to kill von Wiese-Mack so they could get her money, which the trio mistakenly believed to be as
much as $11 million. In messages between the two cousins, according to federal authorities, Schaefer told Bibbs that Mack drugged her mother earlier
in the trip but that von Wiese-Mack woke up.

The communications between Bibbs, Mack and Schaefer may be used as evidence in the Chicago trust fund case if a court hearing on the slayer statute is held.
The state law bars a person who "intentionally and unjustifiably" causes the death of another from receiving anything of value as a result of their actions.

The final text message between Mack and Schaefer was sent at about 8:57 a.m., authorities allege.
Schaefer had warned his phone had 1 percent battery power left. He wrote: "Let me just creep up. And wack her. Once I do it. She was drunk slipped and fell."

In response, Mack wrote: "Okay just knock her out. Itll be so much easier."

Within minutes, authorities allege, von Wiese-Mack was fatally beaten.

 

[Orange Tabby]

More from that article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-killer-Heather-Mack-Bali-jail-daughter.html

[cuts by Orange Tabby]

In the article at then was this interesting quote:
Mack has told fellow inmates her biggest fear is that Stella – who has no passport – will be deported to America and lost to her forever while she serves out her sentence.

I'm just guessing here, but I think one of these two explanations is most likely:

1. The Daily Mail made a sloppy error. (It is renowned for its ability to get things wrong.)

2. Heather said what was reported and it was a blatant lie. (Heather is renowned for her ability to easily misstate the truth for her own benefit.)

Kia Walker's attorney says Stella has a passport. I suspect he would have a way of knowing this. (Perhaps Kia actually saw it during her March 2015 visit to Bali.)

 

[Orange Tabby]

The Daily Mail has published a highly sensational story about Tommy's woes.

Some excerpts:

[About yesterday's goodbye to Stella:] Supporters of Schaefer say it's probably the last time that he will ever see his daughter - and the 24-year-old has opened up his heart in a poem...

...Schaefer expresses his regret at not being there for his daughter, but also has a dig at his former girlfriend saying that she's turned into a junkie in prison.

Schaefer's had a torrid time in prison, after being beaten by eight western prisoners with blocks of wood two weeks ago, as punishment for Mack causing the prison bad publicity, which has resulted on the prison authorities cracking down on inmates.

He spent five days in solitary confinement while his wounds healed and, according to a family friend, he now has no cell of his own and has to sleep with 40 Indonesians.

The source added: 'He got beat with blocks of wood and people stomping on his head, it happened two weeks ago, and the guards did nothing, they wouldn't let him see a doctor.

'...they didn't want anybody to see his injuries.

'The westerners have to fend for themselves - if prisoners get into a fight, the guards don't intervene. This was done by westerners, who are higher up on the committee, and they run the show and work with the prison, they don't like the annoyance or disruption this case has caused.

'He's an easy target - he's the youngest in the block, American, black and has no lawyer.'​

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4324558/Body-suitcase-murderer-writes-poem-daughter.html

 

[Orange Tabby]

More from the Daily Mail:

For the last six months, Schaefer has been receiving psychiatric treatment as he suffers with mood swings and depression.

After his recent beating and spending time in solitary, Schaefer has been left with no cell phone; he has no money and $400 a month is needed for cell 'rent'. He's now living with 40 Indonesians in a space which has a ceiling of only 6ft 6in - and he's only three inches shorter than that height.

The source adds: 'Heather has done a really good job of making it seem like she is in some hotel. She has Stella to protect her, no one hits a mother with a baby, but for Tommy this is about survival.

'It can be a dangerous place to be, with very little resources to survive...

'The Indonesians took him in their block, which has never happened with a foreigner, so he needs Mack to quit rocking the boat so he can get back on his feet.

'The prison has been under tremendous stress from all this drama they bring. His injuries have healed but he got a good beating. He got lucky because the Indonesians like him, but he lost everything except a bag of clothes and has to start over again.

'He survives off nothing and suffers every day and is always trying to think of ways he can repay the world for his contribution to this heinous crime. He wants young people to learn from his story - he is learning and growing from his experiences.

'[Heather is] using money from her trust for Shabu [Balinese crystal meth], speed, alcohol and cannabis.'​

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4324558/Body-suitcase-murderer-writes-poem-daughter.html

 

[Orange Tabby]

Here's what the Daily Mail is saying about Heather:

[About the choice of foster family:] According to Schaefer's camp, this is so that Mack can get her daughter back when she is supposed to leave prison in 2024. Stella is still entitled to most of her grandparents' multi-million fortune, despite Mack's murderous act.

'An outside agency has been involved to oversee everything for Stella and make sure her needs are met and will stay involved.

'Stella has on been outside of the prison just a few times and has never experienced to what the real world is like. She has never even been in a home, it is going to be a big adjustment for her.

'Heather's plan is to leave Indonesia - all prisoners are deported - with Stella and take the inheritance and live in another foreign country.

'The foster family has refused to cooperate with letting Tommy be part of Stella life, as per Heather's wishes.

With Stella leaving the prison, Mack is now vulnerable to attacks from other prisoners, as she's been so far 'untouchable' because she has a child.

'Inmates will now see her as a potential target of abuse if she continues to disrupt prison life for them. When the baby leaves it will really ****** her up, as the baby has the money and she has no protection,' the source added.

The FBI is also investigating claims that Mack's lawyers bribed their way to a reduced sentence; ten years is a tiny amount for being part of such a brutal slaying.

The source adds: 'The FBI is determined that Heather will pay for this properly in the US. Heather is for sure going to be charged in America when she leaves the prison and they are looking into bribery with her appeal.​

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4324558/Body-suitcase-murderer-writes-poem-daughter.html

 

[Orange Tabby]

It's hard to know what to make of the Daily Mail's latest offering. For example, they conveniently forget their own story only a day or so before where they reported about Tommy:

'He was put in solitary confinement for three weeks after attacking another prisoner with an iron bar recently and has been telling everyone he is a prophet from God.'​

They don't explain why several months ago he wished to discontinue reports of Stella's health to the guardian ad litem.

His own drug use is not mentioned.

Wouldn't Western prisoners be the first ones to observe that Tommy and Heather are estranged, so that beating Tommy would have no effect on Heather's behavior?

They claim he has remorse for the murder, but he's not expressed this to Sheila's family, as far as we know.

The unnamed source certainly paints Tommy in the very best light--unbelievably so.

What multi-million dollar fortune? Last I could tell, the trust was worth about one million.

The article says that the FBI is "looking into bribery with her [Heather's] appeal." She didn't have any money for an appeal. That's the one time she had no money. What is the source for the claims about the FBI? I think it's pretty clear that the FBI is looking into conspiracy charges for both Tommy and Heather. If Bibbs can get 20 years for what he did, would they really walk away from what will be less than 10 for Heather?

If an ex-con is deported from Indonesia, aren't they sent back to their country of origin? (SouthAussie, you know about this kind of thing. Do you know?) How would Heather then afford to get herself and Stella into a country without an extradition treaty with the US? Why wouldn't the FBI arrest her at the airport?

I'm sure there are lots of other very dubious elements to this story that others here can point out.

Interesting all the same.

 

[Hiandmighty]

The Daily Mail has published a highly sensational story about Tommy's woes.

Some excerpts:

[About yesterday's goodbye to Stella:] Supporters of Schaefer say it's probably the last time that he will ever see his daughter - and the 24-year-old has opened up his heart in a poem...

...Schaefer expresses his regret at not being there for his daughter, but also has a dig at his former girlfriend saying that she's turned into a junkie in prison.

Schaefer's had a torrid time in prison, after being beaten by eight western prisoners with blocks of wood two weeks ago, as punishment for Mack causing the prison bad publicity, which has resulted on the prison authorities cracking down on inmates.

He spent five days in solitary confinement while his wounds healed and, according to a family friend, he now has no cell of his own and has to sleep with 40 Indonesians.

The source added: 'He got beat with blocks of wood and people stomping on his head, it happened two weeks ago, and the guards did nothing, they wouldn't let him see a doctor.

'...they didn't want anybody to see his injuries.

'The westerners have to fend for themselves - if prisoners get into a fight, the guards don't intervene. This was done by westerners, who are higher up on the committee, and they run the show and work with the prison, they don't like the annoyance or disruption this case has caused.

'He's an easy target - he's the youngest in the block, American, black and has no lawyer.'​

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4324558/Body-suitcase-murderer-writes-poem-daughter.html

I wonder if TS considered the irony of getting beat in the head while no one helped him?

 

[Orange Tabby]

I wonder if TS considered the irony of getting beat in the head while no one helped him?

Brilliant!

 

[Orange Tabby]

"Mack, who stands to inherit US$1.63 million from her late mother...." * Where did this <-- $ figure come from?

[cuts]

* ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...er-Mack-Bali-jail-daughter.html#ixzz4bbwQGKfs (same link as above)

The $1.63 million comes from the Daily Mail. This paper is good at publishing sensation, rumor, unnamed sources and the like. They are often sloppy and inaccurate. There is no need to take anything it publishes as fact if you haven't seen it sourced elsewhere. (That's why I'm so distrustful of the latest article which tries to make Tommy seem like a martyr and which even contradicts their own very recent reporting.)

They are good with publishing lots of photos. They often have stories which are pretty much true, but this is because they will often re-write stories from more reputable sources.

In England, this paper is often referred to as the Daily Fail.

I think the trust stands at about a million. This is based on a report from quite a while back, so is not highly reliable as to today's value.

 

[ajaylee]

In hindsight, I'm beginning to think that Soenardi really took HM for a ride.

Noor Ellis (Indonesian) hired a crew to murder her husband (Australian) and was in the next room when her orders were carried out. She got ten years - for a clearly pre-meditated murder.

Sara Connor and her boyfriend (Australia, UK) murdered an Indonesian policeman. He got six years and she got four - for an unpremeditated murder.

That's a very small sample size to use for comparison, but it appears that the court was quite harsh on TS, close to the norm for HM for a premeditated killing.

The US media was a bit slow to point out that the Indonesians don't rank drug crimes and murder the way they do in the US - where murder is generally considered the worst you can do. I think Soenardi convinced HM she and TS really stood a chance of getting the death penalty. I think she hoped for a bigger sentence reduction, but I think she got conned into paying Soenardi to get her out of a sentence that would never have been imposed anyway. Cohen refused to even listen to experts who tried to warn him about the corruption in the Indonesian justice system, and I think Cohen thought she was actually in danger of actually getting the death penalty and getting executed. That was a risk he didn't want to take, so he gave her the money to give Soenardi.

Orange Tabby, I agree, the Daily Fail can be frustrating, particularly because it does include facts and photos in the dodgy mix it publishes.

I find the part about TS getting in some sort of trouble very believable. The circumstances on the men's side are worse than on the women's and he has the added stress of his cousin's conviction and upcoming sentencing and Stella leaving prison. I really wish the DM's source had been asked where TS has been getting his $400/month cell rent plus cellphone money prior to now. I find the first story more believable, though: that he snapped and hit out at someone, got beat up and tossed into solitary for his trouble. It's possible his cellmates were ragging on him because of crackdowns blamed on HM and he lost it.

I find the remark about Stella as HM's protection because no one hits a mother with a child very believable. I've been around people who think this way. I've been surprised that HM didn't get physical with another prisoner before now - on one occasion, I did think she was sporting the aftermath of a black eye, although that could be caused by a lot of things. I think she's going to be in a world of hurt now without Stella. She'll miss the company more than she thinks, and if she starts showing her 'attitude' without Stella to hide behind, she might just get some 'attitude' right back.

 

[Orange Tabby]

Thanks, ajaylee for a very thoughtful post. I'll comment on only one part right now. But you've given us a lot to think about.

I find the part about TS getting in some sort of trouble very believable. The circumstances on the men's side are worse than on the women's and he has the added stress of his cousin's conviction and upcoming sentencing and Stella leaving prison. I really wish the DM's source had been asked where TS has been getting his $400/month cell rent plus cellphone money prior to now. I find the first story more believable, though: that he snapped and hit out at someone, got beat up and tossed into solitary for his trouble. It's possible his cellmates were ragging on him because of crackdowns blamed on HM and he lost it.

I don't believe one should assume everything in the Daily Mail is wrong. But when it comes to hard facts (either Stella has a passport or she hasn't; the actual current value of Sheila's trust), if what the Mail claims sounds wrong to me, I just ignore it if it is not properly sourced.

I do agree with you that there is likely to be more than a grain of truth in what they report about Tommy, but we are bedeviled by the Mail's own contradictions.

Did Tommy attack someone with a steel bar, leading him to be penalized with solitary confinement? Was he attacked by eight Western prisoners wielding wooden blocks, and then put in solitary confinement to cover up the attack? Or was it some kind of combination of both stories? You seem to think this last possibility is reasonable and I agree with you that it is. But given Tommy's past drug history, a report of "strange behavior," and his gnawing envy of how much better Heather manages than he does, I don't rule out that he could have lashed out without provocation.

What do you -- and other Websleuths reading here -- make of the Daily Mail claim that there were prison crackdowns because of Heather? Would they punish the men because of what one American woman was doing which reportedly happens with tacit approval by guards? I don't know enough about this prison to evaluate that accusation.

I agree with you, questions should have been asked about his past sources of money. I wish people like you wrote for the Daily Mail

 

[ajaylee]

The prison had a couple of bad riots a year ago. The warden (?) was fired. Some prisoners were moved to other prisons. Subsequently, things did get tighter at the prison. Visiting used to be in a big, open area with prisoners and visitors mixing freely. Now prisoners and visitors are separated.

Then the Daily Mail publishes a lurid article about HM, threesomes, her instagram clips showing beer and cigarettes and inmates dancing. She dropped off IG shortly after (posting), and her BF cleaned up all references to HM or the prison from her IG. HM did lose sentence remissions because of the IG activity that got widespread attention in the Daily Mail. There were actually consequences for her actions.

We also know that the prison officials occasionally actually do raids for contraband, because many months ago, HM's phone got confiscated along with everyone else's. She laughed about it and said she'd just buy another one.

So things have been generally tense and trending worse.

Now, all of a sudden, another video gets released, a video clearly taken in Kerobokan. I imagine prison officials were very upset.

So, yes, I think it's possible that there was a prison sweep in response to the release of the videos, particularly when it became clear that the video was favorable to TS and not HM, thus pointing to him as the likely culprit in making and releasing the video.


But I want to hear what others think!