From the Death Sentence to the Dismissal of All Charges: Thai Supreme Court Rules on the Cook and Gerard Narcotics Case

[WingFat]

Well, maybe they managed to wiggle out of their druggie stupidity in the LOS, but try their shenanigans in Singapore...they'd be "hanging out" quite rapidly.

[Mr Meeseeks]

They have been deported which suggests they got off only on a technicality due to unreliable witnesses. 

[mikebell]

3 hours ago, bbko said:

The American guy gave police info on other drug dealers, I'm guessing those caught won't be forgetting him anytime soon.

They'll never return to Thailand, so would be assassins need to seek American visas.

[WingFat]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

These two have a long criminal history in Thailand.

"Arrest in 2015 and subsequent trial suggests Cook had links with criminality in Pattaya

However, Luke Cook was arrested by Thai police in December 2015.

His arrest, along with the American Mr Gerard, was for participating in the murder of prominent Hells Angels associate Wesley Shneider who was abducted from his home and later beaten to death over the same drug trafficking plot."

Cook and Gerard were both involved in that murder apparently. Had to do with Cook "allegedly" borrowing $10+ million from Schneider to buy drugs, which he (Cook) then had to dump at sea when confronted with a Navy patrol boat. (He was seen dumping bags of something overboard but they didn't find anything on the boat. Apparently the bags of drugs (crystal meth) washed up on shore the next day.)

Schneider supposedly wanted his money back and was abducted and murdered by Cook and Gerard (and others). (That was the case where the perps got caught because they'd rented a truck which had a GPS tracker in it. The cops used that to trace their route and found where they'd buried the body.)

Got to wonder how they get all charges dropped. Of course, Cook's father claims his son is a "good guy" and not associated with the Hells Angels or anything like that.

Also note that a witness, who was a former Police Volunteer, had to flee Thailand when it was discovered he was involved in a human trafficking operation.

 

 

Oh <deleted>, you mean the Yank scumbag is back in the USA ??? Just what we DON'T need, another druggie scumbag here.

[Mr Meeseeks]

6 minutes ago, mikebell said:

They'll never return to Thailand, so would be assassins need to seek American visas.

Plenty of Asian gangs active in the US.

[WingFat]

Yeah sure, OK...but will he be allowed to return to OZ ??? He may have skated on the drug thing in the LOS, but can he bypass the Covid entry restrictions in OZ ??? Maybe North Korea will take him...

[WingFat]

9 minutes ago, mikebell said:

They'll never return to Thailand, so would be assassins need to seek American visas.

Yeah, and these would be assassins won't have much trouble leeching into the USA across the border, as many have no trouble doing so. And there are MANY Americans willing to stop that nonsense, by whatever means necessary.

[Thingamabob]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

I can't even begin to fathom what it feels like to be sentence to death spending years locked up in death row and than be cleared of all charges and let go, mus be some giant roller coaster of emotions, having said that, they were cleared and let go, hopefully they have learned something from that awful experience and will have the rest of their lives to enjoy... 

It's not as simple as that. These  guys were not angels.

[Kerryd]

It seems (from the short search I just did) that the last foreigners executed in Thailand were back in 2001. A Taiwanese man and one from Hong Kong, as well as 2 Thais - all for drug offences (Another Thai was also executed for murdering someone.)

Since then it has commonly been the practise that when a death penalty is handed down by the court, it is almost immediately commuted to life In prison. If not, then it would be commuted either by an appeal court ruling or from a Royal Pardon.

Note that they still execute locals though. The last execution was in 2018, which was after a 9 year lull in executions.

The smart thing to do is to flee to a country like Canada. They will never extradite you if you face a death sentence, no matter what the crime. And, as they can't charge you with anything in Canada, all they can do is deny you permission to leave the country ! (There is a limited number of crimes that if committed in a foreign country, you can also be charged for in Canada. Most I think relate to pedos or other sex crimes.)

Take the example of the Indian guy (Rakesh Saxena) who caused the "Asian Flu" banking crisis back in 1997 fled to Canada with the billions he scammed out of the banks. Thailand wanted to give him the death penalty and Canada refused to extradite him. Eventually, Thailand agreed to drop the death penalty sentence and even then, it took over 10 years of court rulings and appeals before he finally ran out of options and was deported. 
In the meantime, he'd been living in a penthouse apartment, spending all the ill-gotten money and doing things like running call center scams and - allegedly - financing certain "operations" in a certain African country in exchange for diamond rights (assuming the "operations" were successful).

Michael Karas is another case. He was (is) Canadian. A career criminal out on probation when he "stole" someone's ID and flew to Thailand. A year later he gets into an argument with his girlfriend and "snaps her neck" in a fit of rage. Mutilates her face hoping no one would recognize her (and tie her to him), dismembers her body and dumps it in a swamp before heading to the airport and flying back to Canada (still using the "stolen" ID).

Thailand wants to extradite him but can't if he faced a death sentence (which he surely would have). 2 in fact. One for the murder and one for desecrating the corpse.
Thailand agreed to reduce the sentence and once Karas's prison time in Canada was up he was shipped to Thailand, sentenced and imprisoned. 
(However, 5 years to the day later he applied for a prison transfer back to Canada, which the Liberal "Public Safety Minister" rubber stamped. Within weeks not only was Karas back in Canada, but they released him !!! Months later he was arrested again for a string of armed robberies he committed after being released.)

[Harveyboy]

WOW someone knows someone eh ...Money money money ..

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, bbko said:

A scapegoat?  555.  He was neck deep in meth smuggling and the kidnapping that led to murder.  

I don't think so and I followed the case from the start.

 

He was completely set up right down to the lies about his assets, he hardly had anything when it all came out.

 

He did get mixed up through his bar, with some very bad sorts and couldn't get away from them and was frightened of them.

 

Anyway, you have your views I will have mine.

[rott]

6 hours ago, fredscats said:

Wot! about P.iss Stop bar?

Good question but no answers yet. 

[FitnessHealthTravel]

A new Aussie trade deal will be announced in the next few days...

[Kerryd]

So you are saying he didn't borrow $10 million from Schneider to buy meth with ?
And that he wasn't seen dumping "something" overboard at night when spotted by a patrol boat ? (And nothing happened to wash ashore in the same area the next morning ?)
And he had no part in the murder of the guy he "didn't" borrow money from ? And he didn't drive the person who orchestrated the crime to the Cambodian border ?

And that the police just decided to make up the whole story just to frame him. For no reason whatsoever ? 

Wow. That seems like a lot of work just to frame an innocent man. Who was apparently fingered (ratted on, grassed) by 2 witnesses, including the one who also got off the charges. (And the other one who fled the country as he himself was involved in criminal activities.)

I'll admit, getting mixed up with a certain element can lead one down the wrong road. I would not, for an instant, put it past members of an outlaw MC like the HA using a 3rd party to smuggle drugs for them with the promise of a hefty pay-out. I highly doubt he didn't know exactly what he was doing though.

I also would not put it past a "down and out" bar owner who mixes with such people from seeing an opportunity to make a big payday, and gain favour with those same crooks.
I mean, it wouldn't be the first time. Nor would it be the first time a bar owner thought he could run a scam on such people. 

I know another former bar owner that ended up in Thai prison on drug charges. Supposedly he was involved with the Bandidos in Bangkok and did a runner to Pattaya where he bought a go-go bar and started dealing again. Apparently making some good cash as well.

Until he pi55ed off the wrong people and got busted. (By cops from Bangkok, not Pattaya.)

(That person's bar was raided one night by the cops. The owner snuck out pretending to be a customer. The cops did the next best thing and arrested the manager. The owner wouldn't lend him the cash needed for his bail because he didn't think the manager would ever be able to pay him back.
Purely by coincidence, not long after the owner was busted, the manager ended up joining the Bandidos and even had his own chapter for awhile.)

(A few of us had wondered how he could afford his lifestyle when his bar was empty most nights. Didn't find out what was really happening until I read about him getting busted.)

[Alidiver]

7 hours ago, fredscats said:

Wot! about P.iss Stop bar?

I think the police own it now.

[BKK4]

The more I read about this case the more it interests me. It seems there is no end to all the sub-plots and sub-stories. There are some facts for sure but lots of theories.

 

Fact: drugs did wash up on a beach in Rayong. Where did they come from?

 

Fact: there was apparently enough evidence to have them arrested (OK, sometimes not that much is needed here, but still).

 

Fact: all 3 judges in the first court and 3 judges in appeals court found the evidence compelling enough to convict and give them the most severe penalty. Had they gotten life or 50 years that's one thing, but to go from death to nothing is amazing.

 

But someone lost a lot of money and a lot of drugs apparently.

[Charlie Halliday]

Oh they must have been totally innocent.

[BusyB]

To think when I was a kid I wanted to be a Hells Angel ...

[mberbae]

With a name like Joseph Fulton Sheen Gerard, one would think he

would have been a priest, since Fulton Sheen was a very well

known and respected Bishop in the 1960"s in the USA.

[pacovl46]

10 hours ago, fasteddie said:

Some large brown envelopes involved?

That’s the only explanation since no words were lost on why the charges were dropped or that it was a mistake and they’re innocent! 

[Dont confuse me]

Very lucky people, however I think karma will haunt them.

[Toby1947]

Every time I went in the P*ss Stop a few years ago. The Thatchers Gold Cider would go up by 20 baht the thieving b@st*#d deserved the death penalty for that alone, without all the other stuff everyone in Pattaya knew about good riddance should still be banged up. But bungs talk.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Toby1947

[rott]

36 minutes ago, mberbae said:

With a name like Joseph Fulton Sheen Gerard, one would think he

would have been a priest, since Fulton Sheen was a very well

known and respected Bishop in the 1960"s in the USA.

Fulton Sheen was reckoned to be one of the non-corrupt good guys (as per Michael Vorris) this one is not doing his memory much good. 

[off road pat]

5 hours ago, David T Pike said:

What? No mention of Cook's Thai partner Ms. Kanyarat Wediphitak who was locked up too?

 

If you read the the full story about this debacle you can see how the Thai Prosecutors were just looking for a check in their win column and fabricated their whole case on horse manure!

So ?,...Wayne Rodney Schneider. killed and berried himself then ??? Well after all This is Thailand and we have seen stranger things happening !!!

 

[BKK4]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

So you are saying he didn't borrow $10 million from Schneider to buy meth with ?
And that he wasn't seen dumping "something" overboard at night when spotted by a patrol boat ? (And nothing happened to wash ashore in the same area the next morning ?)
And he had no part in the murder of the guy he "didn't" borrow money from ? And he didn't drive the person who orchestrated the crime to the Cambodian border ?

And that the police just decided to make up the whole story just to frame him. For no reason whatsoever ? 

 

Do you think others were involved who managed to get away?

[QPRFC]

So maybe the Australian Government finally struck a deal for the excess beef and wine stocks?!?

[MarcelV]

9 hours ago, Tarteso said:

So that’s correct, good guys in, bad guys out. ????

I've known Luke for years. He will be back in Thailand soon as he has not been blacklisted.

I'm sure he's got some business ventures in Patts on his mind.

[ExpatOilWorker]

7 hours ago, Kerryd said:

It seems (from the short search I just did) that the last foreigners executed in Thailand were back in 2001. A Taiwanese man and one from Hong Kong, as well as 2 Thais - all for drug offences (Another Thai was also executed for murdering someone.)

Since then it has commonly been the practise that when a death penalty is handed down by the court, it is almost immediately commuted to life In prison. If not, then it would be commuted either by an appeal court ruling or from a Royal Pardon.

Note that they still execute locals though. The last execution was in 2018, which was after a 9 year lull in executions.

The smart thing to do is to flee to a country like Canada. They will never extradite you if you face a death sentence, no matter what the crime. And, as they can't charge you with anything in Canada, all they can do is deny you permission to leave the country ! (There is a limited number of crimes that if committed in a foreign country, you can also be charged for in Canada. Most I think relate to pedos or other sex crimes.)

Take the example of the Indian guy (Rakesh Saxena) who caused the "Asian Flu" banking crisis back in 1997 fled to Canada with the billions he scammed out of the banks. Thailand wanted to give him the death penalty and Canada refused to extradite him. Eventually, Thailand agreed to drop the death penalty sentence and even then, it took over 10 years of court rulings and appeals before he finally ran out of options and was deported. 
In the meantime, he'd been living in a penthouse apartment, spending all the ill-gotten money and doing things like running call center scams and - allegedly - financing certain "operations" in a certain African country in exchange for diamond rights (assuming the "operations" were successful).

Michael Karas is another case. He was (is) Canadian. A career criminal out on probation when he "stole" someone's ID and flew to Thailand. A year later he gets into an argument with his girlfriend and "snaps her neck" in a fit of rage. Mutilates her face hoping no one would recognize her (and tie her to him), dismembers her body and dumps it in a swamp before heading to the airport and flying back to Canada (still using the "stolen" ID).

Thailand wants to extradite him but can't if he faced a death sentence (which he surely would have). 2 in fact. One for the murder and one for desecrating the corpse.
Thailand agreed to reduce the sentence and once Karas's prison time in Canada was up he was shipped to Thailand, sentenced and imprisoned. 
(However, 5 years to the day later he applied for a prison transfer back to Canada, which the Liberal "Public Safety Minister" rubber stamped. Within weeks not only was Karas back in Canada, but they released him !!! Months later he was arrested again for a string of armed robberies he committed after being released.)

Meanwhile 2 innocent Canadians are rotting away in prison in China.

[ExpatOilWorker]

4 hours ago, mberbae said:

With a name like Joseph Fulton Sheen Gerard, one would think he

would have been a priest, since Fulton Sheen was a very well

known and respected Bishop in the 1960"s in the USA.

This Fulton Sheen was preaching the kind of religion Jim Jones liked.

[katana]

9 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

14 hours ago, ezzra said:

I can't even begin to fathom what it feels like to be sentence to death spending years locked up in death row and than be cleared of all charges and let go, mus be some giant roller coaster of emotions, having said that, they were cleared and let go, hopefully they have learned something from that awful experience and will have the rest of their lives to enjoy... 

It's not as simple as that. These  guys were not angels.

From the article linked in the OP:
"We [Thailand Bail Legal Services] assisted with their swift deportation, and both Mr. Luke Cook and Mr. Tyler Gerard are now back in their respective home countries – Australia and the United States of America."

 

Dissmissal of all charges, but still deported.  Strange...