Michael McAuliffe
Encyclopedia
Michael McAuliffe was a barman from Sydney
who was hanged
in Malaysia in June 1993 after serving eight years in jail for heroin trafficking.
McAuliffe was arrested at Penang International Airport at about 6.20 pm on 29 June 1985
when white powder packed in 14 condom
s in his money belt and secured around his waist was detected during a body search at the airport inspection area. McAuliffe was charged with possession of 141.89 gram
s of heroin.
The former army reserve
soldier, who had been living at Manly
in Sydney, was convicted in the Malaysian High Court in Penang on 17 August 1991. An appeal
was lodged with the Malaysian Supreme Court. Karpal Singh
acted as McAuliffe's counsel at the appeal, at which 28 arguments were presented. One argument was that the original trial judge had criticised McAuliffe for failing to disclose his defense after his arrest. (This defense was that McAuliffe believed he was carrying "bang bang powder", an aphrodisiac
given to him by a Thai
dance hostess.) Karpal argued that the original judge's criticism had drawn an adverse inference of guilt on McAuliffe. The appeal court heard that what the original judge did was point out that McAuliffe had failed to disclose this defence of carrying an aphrodisiac to the officer who recorded a statement from him after his arrest. It was found that the judge had not drawn an inference of guilt from this. The appeal was rejected 13 May 1992.
According to the Australian Coalition Against Death Penalty (ACADP),
Based on available evidence, the ACADP said
McAuliffe's family asked Malaysian authorities and the Australian government not to publicise his case.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
who was hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
in Malaysia in June 1993 after serving eight years in jail for heroin trafficking.
McAuliffe was arrested at Penang International Airport at about 6.20 pm on 29 June 1985
when white powder packed in 14 condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
s in his money belt and secured around his waist was detected during a body search at the airport inspection area. McAuliffe was charged with possession of 141.89 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
s of heroin.
The former army reserve
Army Reserve
Army Reserve may refer to:*Military Reserve Force*Army Reserve *United States Army Reserve...
soldier, who had been living at Manly
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
in Sydney, was convicted in the Malaysian High Court in Penang on 17 August 1991. An appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
was lodged with the Malaysian Supreme Court. Karpal Singh
Karpal Singh
Karpal Singh is a Malaysian lawyer and politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the neighbourhood of Bukit Gelugor in the state of Penang since 2004...
acted as McAuliffe's counsel at the appeal, at which 28 arguments were presented. One argument was that the original trial judge had criticised McAuliffe for failing to disclose his defense after his arrest. (This defense was that McAuliffe believed he was carrying "bang bang powder", an aphrodisiac
Aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
given to him by a Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
dance hostess.) Karpal argued that the original judge's criticism had drawn an adverse inference of guilt on McAuliffe. The appeal court heard that what the original judge did was point out that McAuliffe had failed to disclose this defence of carrying an aphrodisiac to the officer who recorded a statement from him after his arrest. It was found that the judge had not drawn an inference of guilt from this. The appeal was rejected 13 May 1992.
According to the Australian Coalition Against Death Penalty (ACADP),
- "McAuliffe never deviated from his story that in BangkokBangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
he met a Thai dancer named Lung Noi who he took home for sexProstitution in ThailandProstitution in Thailand is illegal, although in practice it is tolerated and partly regulated. Prostitution is practised openly throughout the country. Local officials with commercial interests in prostitution often protect the practice. The precise number of prostitutes is difficult to assess;...
...She produced a white substance, an aphrodisiac she called 'bang bang powder'. She used a portion and McAuliffe rubbed some on his tongue before having sex with her. McAuliffe says he paid the woman $450 for more of the powder, which he put in his money belt concealed under this shirt to save embarrassment if his bags were searched en route to ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
via PenangPenangPenang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
and SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
."
Based on available evidence, the ACADP said
- McAuliffe's life when he was arrested revolved around "seedy bars, thumping music and cheap sex...There was no evidence the heroin he got caught with was destined for the veins of addicts..."
McAuliffe's family asked Malaysian authorities and the Australian government not to publicise his case.