GUILTY IL - Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62, in suitcase in Bali, 12 Aug 2014 *fnd guilty in Bali* #6

[gitana1]

That sounds right. That's fairly standard in many countries. Children are granted the citizenship/ nationality of the mother, as that can be proven. Father's nationality cannot be proven with an unmarried mother except through DNA.

Mack, unmarried in prison for violent murder, has no right to give her unborn child citizenship of the country where the prison baby was born. She and the father have USA nationality, and that's what the prison baby is granted.

Indonesian law regarding barring criminals from re-entering the country after deportation is similar to countries like Canada. Mack was delusional thinking that because her born daughter was in Bali, she could leave her daughter behind, return to the USA for 6 months, and then emigrate to Indonesia to live happily on her mother's inheritance.

Mack viewed her prison time as a joke. Thankfully she hit the wall hard with being escorted off the plane in handcuffs while her daughter thought she was on "vacation" with mommy.

That poor kid. I wonder what she’s being told about where her mom is now.

Heather is a delusional, entitled nut.

 

[gitana1]

I agree, I followed this case closely at the time and as I recall HM was given the choice to have Stella in prison with her for up to 2 years. The Cook County judge did not have jurisdiction over Stella in Bali. Or HM for that matter.

Yes! Which is why Cook County couldn’t consider Kia’s bid for custody.

 

[gitana1]

All MOO. Heather was a delusional thinker all her life because she got away with horrible behavior for her entire life. She always had some money, not brought up in any poverty. Sheila spoiled her maybe out of hope, and maybe out of fear, but she wanted a good relationship with that mean nasty girl. Yes, then even right after they killed Sheila and left her in a suitcase, she was ready to take off delusional thinking they could run off. Oh, you are so right, prison was a joke to Heather-- hooking up with lovers, nothing was off limits with her little bit more money than others, dancing and they actually rewarded her, getting to keep Stella there and have all the others help. I was beginning to think she had a solid deal with the Devil, she got away with so much.

It does my heart good to see the sh-t finally hit the fan. It was a big wrecking ball that finally has hit Heather's life. Finally, this may be the karma she deserves. Still, I can see her ruling things in a US prison. She's got some kind of edge that helps her survive. I'd call her a shape shifter, but to me she never reaches any kind of classy act. She can't pull that over because she's a no class thot. (I learned that word on this thread. )

So well stated. She reminds me of Jodi Arias, Casey Anthony, or Diane Downs. A delusionally confident, entitled, personality-disordered criminal.

A lack of empathy and as long as there is someone to manipulate, they don’t suffer much. They adapt.

 

[gitana1]

@everybodhi sbm bbm Yes, seems HM being able to keep Stella in prison w her {{ETA: for part of the sentence}} was not because HM was a "special snowflake." Apparently that's the norm.

Thanks for linking to documentary which I'll stream soon. Mothers & babies packed in so tight. Good grief.

Sad, sad sad.

I was concerned when I heard one mother say she sometimes takes her anger out on her child. Because she resents his father. Great.

 

[gitana1]

BBM


I've never met an Indonesian that has any hesitancy to say all facets of government is corrupt here.
They're famous for it.
Just for instance, in the cities, the cops periodically stand in the road, backing up traffic and collecting money from cars for any reason they make up. Everyone smokes in Indonesia and maybe your car has no smokers but the cop can tell you the car smells like cigarettes so you must pay, standard a million rupiah, $70, for a westerner in the car, or go to the station. (Smoking is legal everywhere including restaurants and hotels). Everyone just pays. A good driver will pull over for coffee if traffic is backed up, it may be an hour sitting at the coffeeshop but will save you 70 bucks.

Hobbling Indonesia’s anti-corruption body

Ask any Indonesian about their country’s most pressing problem and more likely than not the answers you’ll get are “the economy” and “corruption”.

This is with good reason. Indonesia ranks 102 of 179 on Transparency International’s 2020 Corruption Perception Index, falling over four years from a previous ranking of 90, underscoring the problem with widespread graft. Corruption among judges, prosecutors and senior police officers has undermined the right to equal protection under the law.

Thanks for the info!

This was a big topic before HM was sentenced. Sheila’s family here implored the probate judge not to give HM any money from the estate because it would be used to influence the corrupt legal system and get her a light sentence.

And it did.

If they were facing a firing squad and their story was that Schaefer was the evil mastermind and HM the unwitting child hiding behind a door, and the judicial system accepted that story, why did she get any time at all? And why did he not get the death penalty? Or even life in prison?

She got ten years because they knew they had to give her something for such a gruesome murder of a parent. He got 18 because to give him more would too readily demonstrate the total corruption of the system. She got out three years early for having fun in prison, despite coldly confessing to the murder plot and expressing “no regrets”, because “justice” can be influenced with money there.

'I don't regret killing my mother': Heather Mack posts chilling videos confessing to infamous suitcase murder, but she may be lying - Coconuts

 

[ajaylee]

IIRC, the judge's name was Cohen. It always seemed to me that he disliked SVM's brother for some reason - maybe because he was a lawyer? He completely ignored them when they tried to tell him how corrupt Indonesia's court system was. However, he chose to believe HM's representatives when they claimed that she was at risk of the death penalty if convicted. That was complete nonsense. The death penalty does exist in Indonesia, but not for one-off murders of family members, particularly foreigners. And certainly not for pregnant teen moms.

He can't be faulted for his ignorance about Indonesia; he can be faulted for knowing he was ignorant and making the deliberate choice to take sides on who to believe instead of bothering to get independent expert information on the matters.

 

[Curious Me]

...The death penalty does exist in Indonesia, but not for one-off murders of family members, particularly foreigners. And certainly not for pregnant teen moms.

Well, they had my hopes up with those Firing Squad threats. I kind of thought she deserved it. She'd wear her sunglasses, of course. Not murderers like HM, but it's not like they don't kill non-violent drug smugglers though. Makes no sense to me. The corruption is hard to overlook, and I'd be afraid to rely on sane laws and an honorable legal system there. Some of the stories of common extortion to citizens, like in their cars smelling of smoke, are appalling.

 

[al66pine]

@everybodhi
Your post 397 discussing Stella said in part:
“...The US doesn't recognize the renouncing of US citizenship… can always get a US passport...” sbm bbm

Initially I wondered about the basis for ^ point so did some research. My post 428 provided information* about US statutes recognizing ppl renouncing citizenship.

Not sure whether I understood your response in post 436. Did it retract ^ point in post 397 ? (IOW do you agree the US does recognize the renouncing of citizenships?)

BTW I enjoyed learning by reading further on the subject. Always absorbing something new on Websleuths. Thx in adv. my2ct.

_______________________________
* My post 428 included:
---quotations, excerpts, & links to US statutes governing multiple ways in which US citizens voluntarily lose their US citizenships -- by renouncing or relinquishing.
--- link to a law review article by a U. of VA. Law School professor of Immigration.
---link to US Dept of State article.
---links to multiple wiki articles discussing renouncing US citizenship.
See post 428 for links.

 

[Kamille]

Just wanted to clarify why KW was denied guardianship when she tried back in 2017. To my knowledge her personal situation, whatever it may be, has not come into play…yet. Perhaps it will this time since Stella is in the US and any person she may be placed with should be vetted. Her first attempt to bring Stella to the US to raise her was when she travelled to Bali for the birth. HM denied that request.

“A Cook County judge denied a woman's eleventh-hour bid to become her granddaughter's legal guardian Tuesday, just days before the child is expected to be separated from her parents in a Bali prison where she has been raised since birth.

Judge Susan Kennedy Sullivan ruled she lacks the authority to grant such a request concerning the nearly 2-year-old girl who is halfway around the world and whose parents had not provided written consent.

Minutes before the judge's ruling, Kia Walker, of River Forest, made an impassioned plea asking that she be allowed to bring the child, Stella, back to live with her in the United States.

"I'm concerned about her well-being, and I'm concerned her parents are not in a position to make any kind of decisions regarding her care," Walker said. "I would love the opportunity to care for my granddaughter and give her the kind of life she deserves in America. If it were up to me, she would never have been in the prison."

Judge denies grandmother's request to raise Heather Mack's baby

 

[Curious Me]

Just wanted to clarify why KW was denied guardianship when she tried back in 2017. To my knowledge her personal situation, whatever it may be, has not come into play…yet...

On a lighter note, KW owned a pet duck, at that time or at one time, which I thought was a good sign she was a caring person. The funny things we remember, huh. I once had two pet ducks so that tidbit made an impression on me, I guess.

 

[otto]

Are pet ducks and wildlife allowed in Chicago?

 

[otto]

Has Schaefer mentioned fond memories of the pet duck?

 

[everybodhi]

snipped
The death penalty does exist in Indonesia, but not for one-off murders of family members, particularly foreigners. And certainly not for pregnant teen moms.

*with money.
That's the most important part to the Indonesian justice system.
Murder is very rare in Bali, and families are very tight, extended families live on what we would consider family estates on land passed down for centuries, there is much care and respect for elders, including their dead ancestors.
Hindus (90% of Balinese, unlike the 17,500 other Indonesian islands and the government which are Islamic) are in the midst of celebrating "Galungan" right now, when the spirits of our passed loved ones and all our ancestors are honored as they return to earth for 10 days, they do this every Balinese year which is 210 days long.
This murder was a shock to the Balinese people's sensibilities.

 

[Kamille]

Are pet ducks and wildlife allowed in Chicago?

Yes.

Chickens and Goats in the Backyard: Raising Livestock in Chicago

 

[Kamille]

Has Schaefer mentioned fond memories of the pet duck?

He was not living with KW when she got the duck.

He HAS repeatedly expressed his wish that she raise Stella though FWIW.

If it walks like a duck, it's a Forest Park pet - Forest Park Review

 

[otto]

In today's culturally conscientious world, there's an argument to be made for respecting the wishes of the father, for allowing the child to grow up in her country, for ensuring the child lives with family, and for placing the child in a family consistent with her racial culture. I hope I worded that correctly. Tommy's mother seems to be the only person who has stepped up to offer that.

 

[Curious Me]

He was not living with KW when she got the duck.

He HAS repeatedly expressed his wish that she raise Stella though FWIW.

If it walks like a duck, it's a Forest Park pet - Forest Park Review

Thank You for finding that about KW and her duck Holly. Shows she has love in her heart. I know TS did a terrible, terrible thing, but he, too, seemed to have a good heart and was headed in a different direction before Heather came along. Anyways, MOO, we can't control completely how our children turn out. KW has tried to do the right thing by Stella. Now, maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think it's about the greed the others have as their intention for getting custody of Stella. The right intention matters.

If it walks like a duck, it's a Forest Park pet - Forest Park Review

 

[BUF]

Who’s paying for this?

Heather Mack hires high profile defense attorney - Chronicle Media

 

[Kamille]

Who’s paying for this?

Heather Mack hires high profile defense attorney - Chronicle Media

Either this “high profile” attorney is doing it pro bono for the media exposure or HM’s Beverly Hills connections are footing the bill IMO. It’s amazing how easy it is to get people to flock to you and help you out by being notorious or scandalous.

MOO

 

[BUF]

Either this “high profile” attorney is doing it pro bono for the media exposure or HM’s Beverly Hills connections are footing the bill IMO. It’s amazing how easy it is to get people to flock to you and help you out by being notorious or scandalous.

MOO

I agree.

After doing a quick google search, he’s known for being a “deal maker”.