And now for the highlightsLaw society defends ethics after Corby lawyer's admission
Posted 6 hours 4 minutes ago
An admission of blatant fabrication by the former lawyer of Schapelle Corby in a TV documentary has forced the Queensland Law Society to defend solicitors from being cast in a bad light.
Channel Nine's The Hidden Truth was only allowed to be screened after all of Corby's avenues of legal appeal had been exhausted.
During the final instalment aired on Tuesday night, Corby's former lawyer, Robin Tampoe, admitted he fabricated the entire defence used during his client's drug trial and he was unrepentant about doing that.
"Three weeks to put a defence together; I put a defence together. Baggage handlers didn't put drugs in the bag. [They had] nothing to do with it, but now she [Corby] believes it," he said.
"Who'll f***ing believe it, it is not true. That is why you can't ... find direct evidence relating to baggage handlers - because they didn't do it."
It seems Mr Tampoe's fabricated defence is not entirely unusual or unacceptable in legal circles, according to the president of the Queensland Law Society, Megan Mahon.
"There are lots of tactics - as most people accept - in litigation, particularly in criminal defence litigation," she said.
But Ms Mahon says Mr Tampoe's public admission has cast a bad light on lawyers and their ethics.
"At the end of the day we have a person who, on national television, has said that... the entire defence was fabricated by him," she said.
"Whether or not that turns out to be true and whether it was perhaps maybe a bit of media grandstanding and a bit more wise in afterthought, is irrelevant.
"It has been said on national television and it is unfortunate if that in any way suggests that that is an ordinary course of practice for the solicitors of Queensland, because it certainly is not."
Home truths
Mr Tampoe also revived questions about the involvement of Corby's younger brother, James Kisina.
Kisina was travelling with Corby when she was arrested in Bali and there has been ongoing speculation about whether he was involved in the operation.
During the documentary Mr Tampoe reinforced those suspicions and claimed former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer had also considered her brothers' roles.
"Speak to the brother, speak to the younger brother, speak to the older brother. That is what Downer said to me," Mr Tampoe said.
"His own office knows what has been going on."
Translation - I lied and its A- ok.Corby's former lawyer, Robin Tampoe, admitted he fabricated the entire defence used during his client's drug trial and he was unrepentant about doing that.
The whole stinking baggage handler argument smacked of an argument from ignorance. My client was framed. Sure I have zero evidence of it, but come on, its possible. I am glad Indonesian courts didn't listen to this intelligence insulting bullshit.I put a defence together. Baggage handlers didn't put drugs in the bag. [They had] nothing to do with it, but now she [Corby] believes it," he said.
"Who'll f***ing believe it, it is not true. That is why you can't ... find direct evidence relating to baggage handlers - because they didn't do it."
Translation - its ok for defence lawyers to pull shit out of nowhereIt seems Mr Tampoe's fabricated defence is not entirely unusual or unacceptable in legal circles, according to the president of the Queensland Law Society, Megan Mahon.
"There are lots of tactics - as most people accept - in litigation, particularly in criminal defence litigation," she said.
Whats not an ordinary course of practice? Fabricating evidence, or admitting you fabricated it? Because it seems from earlier statements, one could be forgiven for thinking she meant the latter.But Ms Mahon says Mr Tampoe's public admission has cast a bad light on lawyers and their ethics.
"It has been said on national television and it is unfortunate if that in any way suggests that that is an ordinary course of practice for the solicitors of Queensland, because it certainly is not."
Now where are those bogans who kept on supporting Corby, and saying how wrong Indonesia was. I hear they are now looking over their shoulder against those nasty African gangs or something, after running out of Indian doctors to frame on trumped up terrorist charges.
