Banged Up in Bali: The Compelling True Story of an Innocent Woman Sentenced to Twenty Years in a Hellhole Indonesian Prison [Paperback]

I've been following Schapelle's case since she was first arrested, but it took me a long time before I was brave enough to read her story in her own words. It took me a while to get through the book, just because I could only handle one chapter at a time.

The story is about Schapelle's journey as her life transforms from that of a 27 year old beauty school student to a prisoner in Indonesia's notorious Kerobokan prison. Your frustration grows as all the things that would normally amount to more than enough reasonable doubt for acquittal in the western world are either ignored or not permitted by the Indonesian judges. To make matters even worse, the Australian media is determined to dig up whatever dirt they can find on the working-class Corby family.

About the only thing that everyone agrees on is that a 10lb bag of marijuana was found in Schapelle's boogie board bag. How she could have possibly gotten an unlocked back with that many drugs through two major Australian aiports or where the drugs came from in the first place have never been answered. Sadly, Schapelle and her family found themselves in a completely foreign world where you are guilty until proven innocent. Schapelle Corby never had a chance.

Schapelle Corby was arrested at Bali airport, Indonesia in 2004 when 4.1 Kg of Marijuana was found in her bag. She was in Bali to be a part of her elder sisters 30th birthday celebrations. But little did she know that this holiday would change her life forever.

She was arrested and thrown into Bali's prison to await trial. Her sister Mercedes hired a lawyer Lily who was none the wiser as it turned out to be her first case ever. Schapelle thought she would be released as soon as they realized that the drugs were not hers. After all she did travel via 2 domestic Australian airports before landing in Bali, there had to be some proof of her innocence somewhere.

But the trial was over and Schapelle was sentenced to 20 years in prison. No More Tomorrows is her journey from a care free women to someone who had her world turned upside down in a few minutes. Schapelle claims throughout the book that she has no idea where the drugs came from. There could be so many simple ways to determine whether she was guilty without doubt but the Indonesian police and the justice system overlooked a lot of things.

First of all, they did not test the marijuana to determine the concentration, they did not test the marijuana bag for fingerprints in spite of repeated requests by Schapelle and her lawyer. The Australian airport did not have any videos of Schapelle checking in the bag as which could easily determine whether the bag had drugs. It was after all a huge bag.

The Indonesian justice system also did not take into account the testimony of an Australian prisoner who happened to over hear 2 prisoners taking and laughing about how a bag of marijuana was mistakenly placed in someone else's bag and how she had to go to prison because of that. They also did not take into account the fact that there was a report released about how Australian airport baggage handlers were involved in illegal movement of drugs from the airport.

Everything about Schapelle's case irritated me and made me more and more angry. I respect Indonesian laws that gives sever punishments to drug peddlers, but at least make sure that the person whose life you are ruining deserves it without any doubts. There were so many things that could have been done to prove her innocence.

Other than having to go through something that Schapelle did not deserve, she also describes the deplorable and at times shocking conditions of the Bali prison. One thing that really shocked me the most was the way the media behaved. We all know what the media is like, we have seen so many examples, but the way the media behaved with her was absolutely disgusting. Here is one the passages from the book which I believe is one the milder ones.
So hard to concentrate: the courtroom is covered with cameras, reporters, TV cameras sitting on the floor in the middle of the court, and when I speak all these microphones are placed down on the table in front of me, and there's a window behind me with people speaking in Indonesian. Cameramen calling, `Corby, Corby' in my ear; as I turn, they snap the camera. Couldn't they have a little respect? I have to be completely aware and with no distractions: I am on trial for my life! don't they understand?
Diary entry, 3 Feb 2005.

There is a word added in the Urban dictionary: Schapelled which means "to be screwed over - brutally." What more can I say?

There were a few repetitions in the book but I'm not complaining. I don't remember ever being so emotionally affected by a book before. It's probably because what happened to Schapelle could happen to me or my loved ones and it just scares me to no end. If it could happen at the airports of a developed country like Australia, it could happen anywhere.

Schapelle is still serving her 20 year sentence in the Bali prison. I really hope and pray that she is released soon.

Beautifully written, powerful story that makes you feel Schapelle Corby's anguish, frustration and helplessness. A must read for anyone who travels internationally. Highly recommend this book. The injustice of her trial and persecution is quite unbelievable in this modern day world where we take democracy for granted. Makes you feel so sad for her and her family and her lost hopes and dreams.