The Defamation Trial: My Wishes

I find the defamation trial pressed upon Channel 7 by Mercedes Corby to be an interesting development in Schapelle Corby's case.

Occurring as media reports (many of which originated by questionable means from Channel 7) steadily seem to be turning against Schapelle, this trial attacks some of this negative news at its source: the network itself. Current testimony in the trial centers around Jodie Power, a former best friend of Mercedes who conducted an interview on Ch7 (after failing a lie detector test once) in which she revealed that she had seen Mercedes smoke marijuana, and that she had been personally asked to transport a suspicious package from their house. Mercedes countered the claims. Later, a Channel 7 employee impersonated an Australian federal official and contacted Mercedes saying that he had documents which could free Schapelle. Mercedes met with the man, but upon stepping out of the van with her newborn son, she was greeted by four media cameras, the fake fed, and Jodie Power herself. The meeting had been a farce aimed at arranging a confrontation between Mercedes and Jodie.

Lies are a key faction in this defamation trial. Channel 7 gave Jodie a lie detector test, and Jodie failed it. Upon passing it at a second go-around, they allowed her to air her allegations on Australian national television. The Channel's employees lied to create a dramatic meeting between two enemies. Jodie's ex-husband testified against Jodie, accusing her of crazed dillusions. Certainly, in all this--if not solely because Mercedes' last name is Corby--the question of whether Schapelle lied about the marijuana in her bags has forced itself into viewers' minds.

There is a saying out there somewhere that the truth makes us free. Difficult though truth is sometimes, there is somewhat of a liberating factor accompanied by it. Finally, something is solid. Truth may be freely dealt with excepting doubt. When accusations and attacks are made, as they are in this defamation trial, truth may seem to be slipping farther and farther away. The players involved may become more and more desparate to either cover up the truth or find it and make it known at all costs, so that justice is had.

There is always the risk that should Mercedes' story be accepted as truth by the judge (and I believe Mercedes' story), many will not accept that version. Such is the case when so many accusations are thrown about prior to the truth's publication. A legal verdict backing a story, though, is a damning point against doubters. Therefore, I hope that Mercedes prevails, and that Channel 7 is condemned for the false stories perpetuated against Mercedes.

In reading articles proceeding from this trial, such as the one in the HLJ post below, it is interesting to note that bit by bit, certain factors of Mercedes' and Schapelle's stories are emerging. This time, they emerge as debated issues, not merely as issues pre-decided by certain reporters or certain interviewees.

Some of the issues we see are 1) blows to Jodie's credibility, 2) accusations of Jodie's drug use, 3) Mercedes' opportunity to reaffirm Schapelle's innocence, and 4) the subsequent of Mercedes' testimonies. Others will no doubt arise and others have probably been missed by this human observer.

It is my hope that as these issues emerge, viewers will be steadily exposed to the holes in certain anti-Schapelle arguments. Even if a person does not believe in her innocence or support her firmly, there are many holes in existence. I also hope that observers of the trial will begin to question the issues surrounding Schapelle's story and investigate it further.

I hope the truth DOES COME OUT!