‘I am innocent’: Aussie Sara Connor denies killing Bali cop
Sara Connor has told a judge ‘I am innocent’ after being formally charged, with her DJ boyfriend, with manslaughter.
Byron Bay mother of two Sara Connor has told a Bali judge “I am innocent” after prosecutors formally charged her and her British DJ boyfriend with unpremeditated murder over the death of Bali policeman Wayan Sudarsa.
Ms Connor, who turns 46 in Kerobokan jail today, looked drawn and anxious in court yesterday. She embraced her Indonesian lawyer before facing a panel of three judges for the first time since her arrest on August 20.
Dressed in white shirt and black pants, she sat leaning in towards her translator as prosecutors read details of a brawl in the early hours of August 17 on Legian Beach, Kuta, which they say led to the death of Sudarsa, 50.
Prosecutor Kadek Wahyudi called for Ms Connor to be convicted of conspiracy to commit unpremeditated murder, a charge carrying a maximum 15-year jail term.
Asked by presiding judge I Made Prasek if she wanted to make a personal rebuttal, Ms Connor said simply: “I am innocent.”
Her lawyer Erwin Siregar said the defence would issue a detailed written rebuttal next Wednesday when the trial resumes.
Ms Connor’s lawyers have already flagged their intention to appeal any verdict against her on the basis that the prosecution erred by not considering a far less serious charge against her of destroying evidence following her admission that she cut up Sudarsa’s identity cards after the brawl.
Outside court, another of Ms Connor’s lawyers, Robert Khuana, said: “Prosecutors in their indictment have not mentioned one word about Sara being involved, so our big question is why have they charged Sara with killing this man?
“It’s totally wrong. If we don’t object we allow prosecutors to abuse their power.”
The prosecution has alleged Ms Connor contributed to the death of Sudarsa, who died as a result of blunt-force trauma to the back of the head and the stem of his spinal chord during the attack.
Prosecutor Wahyudi told the court Ms Connor had “with full awareness taken victim Wayan Sudarsa’s life”.
“Because of the defendant and David James Taylor’s actions the defendant lost his life. “
The prosecution detailed a brawl in which Ms Connor and Mr Taylor are alleged to have fought with Sudarsa on Kuta beach at about 2.30am on August 17 after returning to look for a bag they believed she had left behind.
It is alleged Mr Taylor first went alone to the beach and confronted Sudarsa, who the two had seen sitting near where they had earlier drunk a bottle of beer each. The two men began to scuffle and the victim hit Mr Taylor in the stomach after Mr Taylor accused him of stealing Ms Connor’s bag.
The prosecution alleged Ms Connor tried to pull the victim from Mr Taylor before he “fought back by biting her on the left thigh”.
It is alleged Sudarsa was pushed to the ground, pinning Ms Connor beneath him. “The defendant then tried to break free by pulling the victim’s hair. The victim fought back ... (before) Taylor flipped the victim’s body while hitting him repeatedly.”
Mr Taylor is accused of hitting the victim over the head with his binoculars as well as a broken beer bottle and Sudarsa’s own mobile phone as the victim repeatedly fought back, at one point pulling Mr Taylor to the ground by the ankle and trying to choke him.
The prosecution alleged Ms Connor then wrapped her hands around the victim’s neck while Mr Taylor hit him repeatedly.
“The victim fell face first in the sand and Taylor then got down on his knees and using the broken beer bottle hit the victim on the right side of his head with the sharp side of the bottle and again using the lip of the bottle until the victim was no longer moving.”
Mr Taylor and Ms Connor are accused of then taking the victim’s wallet and Samsung phone and returning to their guesthouse where Ms Connor cut up the victim’s identity cards.
Additional reporting: Nivell Rayda
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