Death By Firing Squad For Pregnant British Woman
Posted by: Annika Harris
Filed in:
news
2:00PM, Monday May 4th 2009
A pregnant woman awaiting trial doesn’t usually make international headlines. But add the fact that the woman is facing death by firing squad, and you’ve got a story that’s getting attention in Britain and the U.S. This is the fate of Samantha Orobator, a 20-year-old British woman suspected of drug trafficking in Laos. Orobator was arrested on August 5, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for allegedly carrying about 1.1 pounds of heroin.
According to an article on CNN, that amount of heroin usually carries a death penalty sentence, said Anna Morris, a lawyer for Reprieve, a London-based human rights group. Reprieve learned about Orobator’s case two weeks ago and thought the trial would begin today, but it hasn’t. Reprieve is worried about Orobator’s health, especially since she is pregnant and due in September, said Morris, who arrived in Laos to help Orobator. “She became pregnant in prison. We are concerned that it may not have been consensual, and we are concerned that someone who finds herself in prison at 20 is subject to exploitation,” she said. Orobator’s mother Jane says she learned of her daughter’s pregnancy in January—four months after she was arrested, according to CNN.
Orobator needs a local lawyer appointed to her, and Morris says it’s not uncommon in the Laotian justice system for a defendant to be given a lawyer only days before the start of trial. A British consul has also arrived in the country on behalf of Orobator. British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell issued a statement on Saturday regarding Orobator:
The British Government is opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. We have made the Laos authorities aware of this at the highest levels in Samantha’s case. We are paying close attention to her welfare and are in regular contact with the Laotian authorities about her case. British Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, have visited her six times since her arrest. In addition, Britain’s consular representatives in Laos, the Australian Embassy, including the Australian Embassy doctor, have visited Samantha 10 times on our behalf.
There isn’t a British Embassy in Laos, but the Foreign Office said a British vice-consul arrived in Laos over the weekend. Rammell said he also plans to discuss Orobator’s case with the Laotian deputy prime minister this week. [CNN]
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Adam(aka)AP
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 02:17 pm: [report]
Should’ve thought about the consequences of her actions before she decided to carry a POUND of heroin. Stupid people get what they deserve, too bad there’s a baby involved now!
Amelia
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 02:23 pm: [report]
@Adam(aka)AP Says the guy with Silent Bob as an avatar.
Adam(aka)AP
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 02:23 pm: [report]
Makes me wonder was the prison she’s kept in Mixed sex or was she takin advantage of by guards?
Adam(aka)AP
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 02:27 pm: [report]
@Amelia Well I’m in Cali and with our position on Medical Mary Jane I don’t think I’d be risking a firing squad. Plus I can’t recall Silent Bob ever actually using any meds in any of his movies. But honestly if you know the risks you get what you deserve when you’re caught.
rsonnack
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 02:33 pm: [report]
Firing squad???? Isn’t that punishment a little…dated? It seems cruel by today’s standards…Also is the death penalty standard in Laos or England for drugs?
@ Adam I’m sure SOMEONE took advantage of her whether it was another prisoner or a guard.
Adam(aka)AP
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 02:37 pm: [report]
@Rsonnack She was in Laos so you’d have to figure their punishments would be far warse than Britain or US. They are much harder on drugs and plus she had a very large amount of heroin. I couldn’t imagine where she was hiding it when they caught her.
AgentBeryllium
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 03:17 pm: [report]
I agree with Adam (aka) AP no matter who did it, guards involvement ad to be there.
I know she did something bad. But what will happen to the child if they kill her?
British abs are saying she deliberately got preggers to buy more time.
AgentBeryllium
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 03:19 pm: [report]
@amelia I never thought for once that because of Adam’s avatar it was drug reference. I just assume he was one of us Gen X’ers.
Annika Harris
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 03:47 pm: [report]
Let’s not forget the woman hasn’t been found guilty of drug trafficking yet, so it’s quite harsh to say “Stupid people get what they deserve…”
katnohat
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 04:23 pm: [report]
and that the standard of proof of guilt is much lower in Laos than in the US
PinkRanger
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 04:35 pm: [report]
If she did it, she shouldn’t have, but I don’t think that this punishment fits the crime! After all the horror stories you here about drug traffickers getting caught in third world countries, I really hope she didn’t do it…but I don’t think she deserves this.
theattack
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 05:43 pm: [report]
Wow….I mean, yeah heroin is bad and all…but really? This sounds like just too much.
On another less-related note, Can you imagine growing up knowing that your mother was purposely killed by the government that forms the world you live in? The child knows her government approved of leaving her stranded without her mother. Even if she was doing something wrong, that doesn’t bring back her mother.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 06:54 pm: [report]
This is about par for Asia. Does anyone remember a couple years ago a 20 something from the US got a public caning for graffiti in the Philippines?
AgentBeryllium
wrote on May 4 2009 @ 10:08 pm: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse Actually that was in 1994 in Singapore, the guy’s name was Michael P. Fay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay
From my understanding P.I. has their own problems.
Actually this WHOLE thing reminds me of a little movie called Broken Down Palace. Staring Claire Danes and Kate Bekinsale.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120620/
No offense. But after watching that movie I was frighten to even vacation in Thailand.
Naneenya
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 06:52 am: [report]
@rsonnack :: Actually, the firing squad isn’t outdated at all. In fact, there are states in the US that still use firing squad as a practice for death penalty. Idaho, Utah, and Oklahoma are three states that still have firing squad as an option.
Though lethal injection is the most common form, electrocution, hanging, and gas chambers are still used in some states.
Pretty interesting information: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/methods-execution
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 07:57 am: [report]
@msPriss: I’ve seen that, and remember it vividly.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 07:58 am: [report]
@Naneenya: Yes, but you have to specifically ask for firing squad. The authorities actually hate to have it done, because it causes lots of trouble for them, setting it up, because it’s something like every 7-10 years that someone wants it done.
Naneenya
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 08:05 am: [report]
@CheeeeEEEEse: Yes - I understand that - I was just pointing out that it’s not as outdated as people assume.
In Utah, firing squad is only used if the inmate chooses it. In Oklahoma, it’s only used if the other options are unconstitutional (I can’t think of a scenario that would represent this fact) And, in Idaho, firing squad is used if lethal injection is “impractical”. (Again, can’t think of a scenario)
Though, it looks as if New Hampshire might adopt firing squad as part of their death penalty for those who use firearms to kill. http://revolutionradio.org/2009/01/29/death-by-firing-squad-possible-in-us-state/
joyy
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 08:19 am: [report]
Why is a firing sqaud outdated/cruel? If anything I’d think the electric chair is cruel. I’ve read that they don’t always work instantly the first go-round ...
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 08:22 am: [report]
@Naneenya: ‘Impractical’ means if the guy is too fat to find the vein for the injection.
@Joyy: Sometimes it doesn’t go well 3 or 4 times.
retro chic
wrote on May 5 2009 @ 08:46 am: [report]
Hold ye fire. The trial hasn’t started yet (no lawyer still). The gov’t states they don’t execute pregnant women, plus they haven’t carried out an execution in 20 years. And, the conditions of the Phonthong prison are more likely to kill her than any ol’ firing squad, a sentence, I believe, is overkill. See today’s update:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6225076.ece