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Corby's judges to try Bali Nine case
From: By Stephen Fitzpatrick September 30, 2005

THE alleged ringleaders of the Bali Nine, all of whom face the death penalty on narcotics and conspiracy charges, will be tried by members of the same three-man bench that sent Schapelle Corby to jail for 20 years for drug-running.

Andrew Chan, the group's alleged organiser, will appear before a panel that includes one of Bali District Court's most senior judges and a member of the Corby judiciary, I Wayan Suastrawan. Mr Chan's alleged lieutenant, Myuran Sukumaran, will be tried by a bench headed by senior judge Gusti Lanang Dauh, who also sat in judgment of the Gold Coast beautician.

Each of the nine Australians accused of conspiring to smuggle 8kg of heroin from Denpasar to Sydney will face a three-judge team, with individual trials for Mr Chan, Mr Sukumaran and the four alleged "mules" - Renae Lawrence, Scott Anthony Rush, Martin Eric Stephens and Michael William Czugai.

The remaining three - Matthew Norman, Tach Duc Nguyen and Si Yi Chen - will be tried together.

Death penalty concern for Bali 9
AUSTRALIA is refusing to cooperate with Indonesia until prosecutors stop pursuing the death penalty for the Bali 9.

Attorney-general Philip Ruddock said the Australian Federal Police would not work with Indonesia after prosecutors demanded the firing squad for the nine Australians accused of trafficking heroin.

This is happening as Robyn Davis, the mother of the youngest accused Matthew Norman, tries to raise money to get from her Port Macquarie home to Bali for her son's court case.

Mr Ruddock said the nine would still receive government help, but Indonesia would not receive any information.

"The agreements we have with other countries, particularly those who impose a death penalty, is that we will not provide cooperation in relation to criminal matters unless there is an assurance that the death penalty will not be sought," he said.

"If there was further information that had to be obtained from here through the Australian Federal Police, we would seek assurance that Indonesia would not be wanting a death penalty in each of those cases."

Norman, 19, is expected to be tried with a Brisbane man Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen and Sydney man Si Yi Chen, after he was arrested at the Melasti Hotel in Kuta, allegedly in a room with drugs.

Wollongong man Martin Stephens, Brisbane duo Michael Czugaj and Scott Rush and Newcastle woman Renae Lawrence will be tried together.

Accused gang enforcer Andrew Chan, 21, of Sydney will be tried separately, as will accused mastermind Myuran Sukumaran, 24, also of Sydney.

- CLARE HAYES

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