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 U.S.
couple present defense in Bali suitcase murder case
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[January 21, 2015]
By Trisha Sertori
DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - A U.S. man
and his pregnant girlfriend presented their defense on Wednesday at a
hearing where they stand accused of murdering the woman's mother, whose
battered body was found stuffed in a suitcase on the resort island of
Bali last August.
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 Tommy Schaefer and Heather Mack, both from Chicago, argued through
their lawyers that the prosecutor's case lacked credible witnesses
and was unclear on where the crime took place.
"We object to the prosecutor's letter because it's not valid," said
Edi Iswahyudi, a member of Schaefer's legal team.
Schaefer was charged last week with premeditated murder and Mack is
charged with assisting her boyfriend in the killing of her mother,
Sheila von Weise-Mack.
Under Indonesian law, the defendant does not enter a plea until the
end of the trial.
According to Schaefer and Mack's defense statements, which were read
out in Denpasar District Court, evidence in the case was also prone
to manipulation.
 The presiding panel of three judges will decide on Jan. 28 whether
the trial will proceed or if the case will be dismissed due to
inadequate evidence.
Schaefer and Mack, both of whom were brought handcuffed to the
court, could face the death penalty if found guilty.
A U.S. court ruled on Tuesday that Mack can have access to $150,000
of her trust fund to pay legal bills and food costs.
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Bali police conducted a four-month investigation into the killing
that included a re-enactment with the defendants at the luxury hotel
where Wiese-Mack's body was found.
Other evidence submitted to prosecutors included CCTV footage
showing the couple speaking to a taxi driver after dropping the
bloodied suitcase along with other luggage outside the hotel.
(Additional reporting by Dennys Kapa in Jakarta; Writing by
Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Randy Fabi)
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