Jailed Perth Grandmother prepares for appeal in Tokyo court
It is understood the brief hearing will allow the court to decide on what evidence can be used at Nelson's appeal, and if the appeal is even allowed to proceed.
It follows her conviction at trial in Japan last December which saw the 59-year-old sentenced to six years behind bars under difficult conditions in Japanese prison.
'It hit us all very hard, because we were so confident that she would be coming home, and we just thought it's so obvious that she wasn't aware of what was going on and she shouldn't be where she is,' said Kristal Hilaire, the eldest of Nelson's five daughters.
Ms Hilaire was preparing to fly to Japan yet again this weekend to support her mother. Perth grandmother Donna Nelson was sentenced to six years jail in Japan. (HANDOUT/NELSON FAMILY) Credit: AAP
The journey has become all too familiar for Nelson's family, who have visited as often as they can since her shock arrest at Narita International Airport in January 2023.
Nelson was found with 2kg of methamphetamine concealed inside her suitcase.
The Perth community leader and one-time Greens political candidate has always maintained her innocence, insisting she is the victim of a romance scam.
At trial Nelson told a Japanese courtroom she had no idea the man she believed she was going to marry had hidden the drugs in the case.
'The nerves for Thursday are kicking (in), because there's a chance that they will say we are going to reject the appeal altogether,' Ms Hilaire said.
'We're hoping that some of the evidence her lawyers have been working on will be admitted, and there's a witness that they want to have admitted as well.'
'We're just crossing our fingers and really hoping that she gets the best chance at putting her full story out there and coming home.' A sketch of Donna Nelson on the first day of her drug smuggling trial. Credit: Yoshitaka Enomoto/7NEWS / Yoshitaka Enomoto/7NEWS
If an appeal goes ahead, Nelson's legal team will push for an acquittal and, at the very least, a dramatic reduction in sentence.
'It's crazy that she's gotten through all this time if she didn't have a positive mindset, I feel like someone would lose their mind,' Ms Hilaire said.
'They don't get things like TV or anything like that. They're just alone in their own presence for 23 and a half hours a day.
'Once every three days, they can have a shower if it's not a weekend or public holiday.'
Since her arrest Nelson has also not been allowed to make any phone calls, with communication to her family limited to very short, restricted prison visits if they are in Japan.
Otherwise, she has been allowed to write letters.
'She would be allowed to have five small pages once a week,' Ms Hilaire said.
'With five daughters and the three grandkids, it's not even a page for each person.
'And it takes like, three weeks for that letter to get to you, so you never really know how she was doing in real time.'
Ahead of the hearing Nelson has been transferred to a detention facility in Tokyo, closer to the high court, which has no limit on letter-writing pages.
It will make it easier to write home to her five children and three grandchildren, with a fourth grandchild on the way as her daughter Janelle Morgan is expecting in November.
'Mum will never tell us how hard it is to cope, but I know it would have been really, really hard for her to feel like she's not here throughout Janelle's pregnancy,' Ms Hilaire said.
'She's praying for a miracle, that she can be home for the birth of her next grandchild.
'It just makes her even more eager and desperate to get home.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
44 minutes ago
- Perth Now
French prison for drug kingpins in political spotlight
At Vendin-le-Vieil Prison, France's most dangerous drug kingpins will be guarded by 250 wardens. (AP PHOTO) At Vendin-le-Vieil Prison, France's most dangerous drug kingpins will be guarded by 250 wardens. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP They are France 's most dangerous drug kingpins, according to the country's justice minister — prison inmates so wealthy and powerful that even behind bars, they can continue to order assassinations, run narco-trafficking operations and launder money. Flexing his powers as minister in charge of the French prison system, Gérald Darmanin's solution to the problem is contentious. He is moving 100 inmates — men he describes as "France's biggest criminals" — into an austere maximum security penitentiary in the country's north that critics say has echoes of tough US prisons. The move is also possibly vote-catching for Darmanin, who has joined a growing field of possible successors to President Emmanuel Macron after the next election, less than two years away. In the newly reinforced Vendin-le-Vieil prison, the selected inmates will be locked in individual cells for 23 hours on most days. Largely cut off from the world, Darmanin argues, they will no longer be able to fuel drug-related violence, which has become a political issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election. "We are here to guarantee that they don't speak to the outside, that they don't continue their trafficking outside, that they don't corrupt prison officers, magistrates, police officers," Darmanin said on primetime evening television after the first 17 inmates were transferred earlier this week to Vendin-le-Vieil from other, less secure facilities. Another 12 were moved in on Thursday. France has had a long history of both notorious prisons (the Bastille) and prisoners — both real (Napoleon) and fictional ("The Count of Monte Cristo"). Still, Vendin-le-Vieil's lock-up conditions are exceptional, similar to the ultra-secure "Supermax" prison in the United States and Italy's tough "carcere duro" incarceration rules for Mafia members. Vendin-le-Vieil already houses some of France's most infamous prisoners — including Salah Abdeslam, lone survivor of a team of Islamic State extremists that terrorised Paris in 2015, killing 130 people in gun and bomb attacks. To make way for the specially selected 100 inmates — some already convicted, others in pre-trial detention — many other Vendin-le-Vieil inmates were moved out. The newcomers will be grouped in the prison's new "Section for Combatting Organised Crime," with reinforced security and regulations, and equipped with systems to block mobile phone signals and drones. Among those on the list for Vendin-le-Vieil is Mohamed Amra, nicknamed "The Fly," who staged an escape last year that killed two guards and then fled to Romania before he was captured and returned to France. The newcomers will have just one hour a day in a prison exercise yard, in groups of no more than five. The rest of the time, they will mostly be confined to individual cells fitted with holes so prison guards can handcuff them before moving them and with ratchet systems so inmates can't yank the doors open or shut when they have to be unlocked. They will be guarded by 250 wardens — elsewhere, the ratio is usually 20 guards to 100 inmates, Darmanin told French broadcaster TF1. Instead of unlimited calls with family members from prison phones, they will be limited to a maximum of two hours, twice a week — a restriction that Darmanin says will make monitoring their conversations easier. Prison visiting rooms have also been equipped with security glass dividers to prevent physical contact between inmates and visitors. Darmanin says this will prevent mobile phones and other contraband from being smuggled in. The new Vendin-le-Vieil inmates also won't have the rights accorded in other prisons of intimate time with partners and family members. Darmanin said the conditions will be "extremely hard" but are necessary because France risks "tipping into narco-banditry" in the absence of tough decisions. Critics say Darmanin is taking a gamble by grouping together so many inmates he describes as dangerous. "From what I know, even when they're placed under the strictest isolation, they're so smart that they always find ways to communicate with each other," said May Sarah Vogelhut, a lawyer for one of the prisoners transferred this week. "It's almost more like a networking club for billionaire narco-traffickers." She and others also say the tough conditions could inflict an unacceptable toll on the prisoners' mental health. Vogelhut said her 22-year-old client was a major drug dealer in the southern French port city of Marseille and was convicted and sentenced to 25 years for torturing his victims. He is appealing his sentence. Held in isolation in another prison before his transfer to Vendin-le-Vieil, his biggest concern was the glass barrier that will prevent him from hugging his mother and touching other visitors, Vogelhut said. "Like what we French see in American movies, when the person is behind a glass and you talk through a phone," she said. "I find that inhumane. I mean, imagine that a guy spends 10 years there — for 10 years, he can't hug his mother?" she said. "I think it's going to dehumanise them." First as a minister for public accounts, then as interior minister and since last December as justice minister, Darmanin has proven to be one of Macron's most loyal lieutenants. His close ties with the unpopular president, who can't run again, could work against Darmanin if he runs in 2027. But his government experience and tough-on-crime rhetoric could work in his favour with voters. Darmanin has announced plans for at least two other high-security prison units for convicted and accused drug traffickers, one of them in the overseas territory of French Guiana. Vogelhut accuses Darmanin of angling for votes and playing on: "French people's fears and anxieties". "It won't solve any problems," she said. "There won't be any less crime."
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Funeral held for backpacker killer Bradley John Murdoch who murdered Peter Falconio
The family of outback killer Bradley John Murdoch has held a private funeral service to farewell the man responsible for one of Australia's most notorious crimes. Murdoch, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, died on July 15. He had been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2019. The 67-year-old never revealed where Mr Falconio had been buried. In a private ceremony for family and friends, Murdoch was cremated and his ashes scattered at an 'undisclosed location', 7News reported on Thursday. After his death, his family remembered him as a devoted family man. 'To many, Bradley Murdoch is known only for the events that led to his conviction in 2005 for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, a crime for which he has always denied responsibility from his arrest until his death,' their statement to the media said. 'But to those who truly knew him, he was much more than the headlines. 'Brad was a devoted father, father-in-law, and proud Poppy who never missed a chance to brag about his grandchildren. He was a beloved brother, uncle, and friends.' Mr Falconio's parents Joan and Luciano said they still held out hope their son's remains would be found. 'Upon hearing that Bradley John Murdoch had died our first feeling was of relief, it's like a weight that's been lifted. 'We are only forced to think about him now that he's died, we don't want to let him ruin our lives more than he already has. 'The awful thing is our family's future with Peter was cruelly taken away. 'Today we instead focus on the three children we have left and our grandchildren.' Murdoch was convicted of murdering Mr Falconio on July 14, 2001. Mr Falconio had been travelling with his girlfriend Joanne Lees in a Kombi van along the Sturt Highway, north of Barrow Creek between Darwin and Alice Springs, when another car stopped alongside them and motioned to them to pull over. When the Kombi van pulled over, Murdoch shot Mr Falconio in the head. Murdoch then tried to kidnap Ms Lees, pulling her out of the van and binding her wrists with cable ties before forcing her in the back of his vehicle. While Murdoch went back to his vehicle, Ms Lees managed to escape and hid in the bushes for several hours before she flagged down another driver. Murdoch was found guilty of murder in December 2005 and was sentenced to life in jail with a non-parole period of 28 years. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial and twice tried to overturn the convictions, but both attempts were unsuccessful. Murdoch would have been eligible for parole in 2032, but the NT's introduction of 'no body, no parole' laws in 2016 meant he would only have been released if he revealed the location of Mr Falconio's body. In a statement released after his death, the NT Police Force said it remained committed to 'resolving this final piece of the investigation'. 'It is deeply regrettable that Murdoch has died without, as far as we are aware, ever disclosing the location of Peter Falconio's remains,' the statement read. 'His silence has denied the Falconio family the closure they have so long deserved. 'We continue to appeal to anyone who may have information that could lead us to Peter Falconio's remains to come forward, no matter how small the detail may seem.' Originally published as Family of outback killer Bradley John Murdoch hold private funeral service
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
Funeral held for backpacker killer
The family of outback killer Bradley John Murdoch has held a private funeral service to farewell the man responsible for one of Australia's most notorious crimes. Murdoch, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, died on July 15. He had been diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2019. The 67-year-old never revealed where Mr Falconio had been buried. In a private ceremony for family and friends, Murdoch was cremated and his ashes scattered at an 'undisclosed location', 7News reported on Thursday. After his death, his family remembered him as a devoted family man. 'To many, Bradley Murdoch is known only for the events that led to his conviction in 2005 for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, a crime for which he has always denied responsibility from his arrest until his death,' their statement to the media said. 'But to those who truly knew him, he was much more than the headlines. 'Brad was a devoted father, father-in-law, and proud Poppy who never missed a chance to brag about his grandchildren. He was a beloved brother, uncle, and friends.' Bradley John Murdoch was serving a life sentence for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio. Credit: News Limited Peter Falconio and his girlfriend Joanne Lees were travelling through the remote Northern Territory when Murdoch attacked them. Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Falconio's parents Joan and Luciano said they still held out hope their son's remains would be found. 'Upon hearing that Bradley John Murdoch had died our first feeling was of relief, it's like a weight that's been lifted. 'We are only forced to think about him now that he's died, we don't want to let him ruin our lives more than he already has. 'The awful thing is our family's future with Peter was cruelly taken away. 'Today we instead focus on the three children we have left and our grandchildren.' Murdoch was convicted of murdering Mr Falconio on July 14, 2001. Joanne Lees and Peter Falconio had been travelling through the outback in a Kombi van. (AP Photo/Northern Territory Police, HO) Credit: Supplied Mr Falconio had been travelling with his girlfriend Joanne Lees in a Kombi van along the Sturt Highway, north of Barrow Creek between Darwin and Alice Springs, when another car stopped alongside them and motioned to them to pull over. When the Kombi van pulled over, Murdoch shot Mr Falconio in the head. Murdoch then tried to kidnap Ms Lees, pulling her out of the van and binding her wrists with cable ties before forcing her in the back of his vehicle. While Murdoch went back to his vehicle, Ms Lees managed to escape and hid in the bushes for several hours before she flagged down another driver. Murdoch was found guilty of murder in December 2005 and was sentenced to life in jail with a non-parole period of 28 years. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial and twice tried to overturn the convictions, but both attempts were unsuccessful. The parents of murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio are skeptical that his killer, Bradley John Murdoch, is dying of throat cancer. Murdoch would have been eligible for parole in 2032, but the NT's introduction of 'no body, no parole' laws in 2016 meant he would only have been released if he revealed the location of Mr Falconio's body. In a statement released after his death, the NT Police Force said it remained committed to 'resolving this final piece of the investigation'. 'It is deeply regrettable that Murdoch has died without, as far as we are aware, ever disclosing the location of Peter Falconio's remains,' the statement read. 'His silence has denied the Falconio family the closure they have so long deserved. 'We continue to appeal to anyone who may have information that could lead us to Peter Falconio's remains to come forward, no matter how small the detail may seem.'
