Matthew Norman

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Matthew Norman

| image_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|9|17}}

| birth_place =

| birth_name = Matthew James Norman

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| alias = Member of the Bali Nine

| charge =

| occupation = Caterer

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| criminal_charge =

| penalty = Life imprisonment

| conviction_status = Released

| spouse =

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| motive =

| conviction = Drug trafficking (2006)

| reward_amount =

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| wanted_by =

| partners = {{bulleted list|Andrew Chan|Si Yi Chen|Michael Czugaj|Renae Lawrence|Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen|Scott Rush|Martin Stephens|Myuran Sukumaran}}

| wanted_since =

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| escaped =

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| comments =

| imprisoned = Kerobokan Prison, Bali, Indonesia

| footnotes =

}}

Matthew James Norman (born 17 September 1986){{cite web | url = http://www.usp.com.au/fpss/case-bali9-mathew_norman.html | title = Matthew Norman Campaign Information | publisher = Foreign Prisoner Support Service | work = Save A Life | date = 10 April 2007 | accessdate = 22 June 2011 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110617132602/http://www.usp.com.au/fpss/case-bali9-mathew_norman.html | archivedate = 17 June 2011}} is an Australian man who was convicted in Indonesia for drug trafficking as a member of the Bali Nine. In 2005, Norman was arrested in a room at the Melasti Hotel in Kuta together with three others. Police uncovered {{convert|334|g|abbr=on}} of heroin in a suitcase in the room. After a criminal trial, on 15 February 2006 Norman was sentenced to life imprisonment.{{cite news | url = http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1570967.htm | title = Remaining Bali nine given life sentences | work = Lateline |location=Australia | format = transcript | date = 15 February 2006 | accessdate =22 June 2011 | author = Thompson, Geoff }} His appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court to have the sentence reduced suffered a shock when the Supreme Court imposed the death penalty on 6 September 2006.{{cite news | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/bali-nine-death-ruling-shock/2006/09/05/1157222131815.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 | title = Execution shock for four of the Bali nine | work = The Age |location=Australia | date = 6 September 2006 | accessdate =22 June 2011 | author = Forbes, Mark }} A subsequent appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court, following a full confession by Norman to his role in the plan to import heroin from Bali to Australia, resulted in the original sentence of life imprisonment being reinstated.{{cite news | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/bali-three-spared-death-penalty/2008/03/06/1204402565563.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 | title = Bali three spared death | work = The Age | date = 6 March 2008 | accessdate =22 June 2011 | author = Forbes, Mark }}

Alleged trafficking conspiracy

From Quakers Hill in Sydney's western suburbs, Norman was employed at Eurest, a catering company, where he met colleagues Martin Stephens, Renae Lawrence, and his supervisor, Andrew Chan. All four were convicted of drug trafficking as fellow members of the Bali Nine.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/How-Renae-lost-her-way-and-landed-on-death-row/2005/04/23/1114152364809.html |title=How Renae lost her way and landed on death row |work=The Sun-Herald |location=Australia |date=24 April 2005 |accessdate=22 June 2011 |author=Munro, Catherine }}

Media reports based on the testimony of co-conspirator, Renae Lawrence, claim that Norman was involved in an attempt in December 2004, at trafficking from Indonesia to Australia. This attempt was allegedly organised by Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen and involved Norman, Lawrence, Andrew Chan, and others. The delivery was aborted when heroin suppliers failed to deliver "due to a financial matter or someone knowing about the plan the shipment was cancelled".{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/11/18/1132016987717.html?page=fullpage |title=A crooked trail of greed and naivety |work=The Age |date=19 November 2005 |author1=McMahon, Neil |author2=Forbes, Mark |accessdate=26 June 2011 }}

On or about 8 April 2005, Norman arrived in Bali with Si Yi Chen and checked into the White Rose Hotel. It was reported that Norman and Chen "hardly ever left their room".{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/How-the-trap-snapped-shut/2005/04/22/1114152321560.html |title=How the trap snapped shut |work=The Age |date=23 April 2005 |accessdate=26 June 2011 |author=Cornford, Philip }}

On 14 April, Norman, Chen, Lawrence, and Stephens checked into Adhi Dharma hotel, with Nguyen arriving in the same hotel two days later. It was reported the police took the room next to Norman and Chen. In the evening of Sunday 17 April, appearing like tourists, Norman, Nguyen, and Chen checked into the Melasti Hotel. Myuran Sukumaran, who was also with them, with his bags, left them with the others as he decided to go to the Hard Rock Hotel complex.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Busted-Aussies-acted-like-tourists/2005/04/19/1113854186847.html |title=Busted Aussies 'acted like tourists' |work=The Age |date=19 April 2005 |accessdate=26 June 2011 |agency=Australian Associated Press}}

=Arrest in Indonesia=

About 20 minutes after checking in, Norman, aged 18, was arrested at the Melasti Hotel in Kuta on 17 April 2005 with Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Myuran Sukumaran and Si Yi Chen. Indonesian police claim the group were in possession of {{convert|334|g|abbr=on}} of heroin and bundles of plastic wrapping, Elastoplast tape, and a set of scales, indicating involvement in a plan to transport drugs to Australia.

Earlier that day at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Indonesian police also arrested the following drug mules after they were found carrying various amounts of heroin concealed on their bodies. Martin Stephens was found to be carrying {{convert|3.3|kg|abbr=on}}; Renae Lawrence was found to be carrying {{convert|2.689|kg|abbr=on}}; Michael Czugaj was found to be carrying {{convert|1.75|kg|abbr=on}} and Scott Rush was found to be carrying {{convert|1.3|kg|abbr=on}} of heroin. Alleged co-ringleader, Andrew Chan was also arrested the same day while seated on an Australian Airlines flight waiting to depart Denpasar for Sydney. At the time Chan was arrested, he was carrying three mobile phones and a boarding pass. No drugs were found in his possession.

Of the nine arrested, Norman was the youngest.{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/day-by-day-in-a-bali-jail/story-e6frg8h6-1111115346284 |title=Day by day in a Bali jail |work=The Australian |author=Powell, Sian |date=19 January 2008 |accessdate=28 June 2011 }}

=Criticism of Australian Federal Police tipoff=

Lee Rush, the father of Scott Rush, a fellow member of the Bali Nine, said that he contacted the Australian Federal Police (AFP) before the commission of the offence, fearing his son was travelling to Bali and would commit a drug-related crime. Rush senior claims then to have received assurances from the AFP that they would tell his son he was under surveillance to dissuade him from going through with the crime before the group's departure from Indonesia. Scott Rush's lawyers said he was never contacted. It was revealed that the AFP alerted Indonesian police that a crime was to be committed approximately two weeks before the arrests, and had commenced an investigation about ten weeks before the arrests.{{cite news |date=27 August 2010 |accessdate=25 June 2011 |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/how-the-afp-trapped-the-bali-nine/story-e6frg6z6-1225910600831 |title=How the AFP trapped the Bali Nine |author=Neighbour, Sally |work=The Australian }}{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1348038.htm |title=9 Australians caught in Bali drug bust |author=McKew, Maxine |authorlink=Maxine McKew |work=The 7.30 Report |format=transcript |location=Australia |date=18 April 2005 |accessdate=26 June 2011 }} When the Bali Nine were arrested, the news of the tipoff became public{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/AFP-knew-of-drug-plan-for-10-weeks/2005/04/18/1113676698408.html?from=moreStories |title=AFP knew of drug plan for 10 weeks |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=18 April 2005 |accessdate=26 June 2011 |agency=Australian Associated Press}} and there was criticism of the role of the AFP in protecting the interests of Australian citizens.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/04/20/1113854204539.html |title=Sydney or bust? |work=The Age |date=20 April 2005 |accessdate=26 June 2011 |author1=Munro, Ian |author2=Shiel, Fergus }} Commenting on the matter at the time, AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty was reported as saying:{{cite journal |url=http://www.themonthly.com.au/monthly-essays-daniel-hoare-australian-exceptionalism-bali-nine-and-future-death-penalty-573 |title=Australian Exceptionalism: The Bali Nine and the future of the death penalty |author=Hoare, Daniel |journal=The Monthly |publisher=Black Inc. |date=July 2007 |accessdate=25 June 2011 }}

{{quotation|One of the things we've got to remember is that we operate within our criminal-justice system here in Australia, and if we only co-operated with countries that had the same criminal-justice system, then our co-operation wouldn't extend very far beyond Australia. We have to work with the systems that operate in other countries, and to a large degree this has been successful, certainly in terms of heroin trafficking.|Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty, quoted in The Monthly, July 2007.}}

Rush took action in the Federal Court of Australia against the AFP for breach of the bilateral treaty between Indonesia and Australia when information was handed by the AFP to the Indonesians. Rush's case claimed that such information should only be released by the Attorney-General. However, the Commonwealth Government maintained that the treaty only applies after a suspect is charged.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1476985.htm |title=Bali drug accused allege AFP breach |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=7 October 2005 |accessdate=20 June 2011}} The application was dismissed by the Federal Court in January 2006.

Criminal trial

Criminal trials for the accused commenced in the Denpasar District Court on 11 October 2005. Chen, Nguyen, and Norman, all arrested at the Melasti Hotel and earning the numeric epithet, The Melasti Three, were tried together, with the remaining six defendants tried separately.

{{wikinews|Bali nine lawyer challenges police on legality of drug case}}

In December 2005 it was reported that tensions were building between the Bali Nine drug mules and Sukumaran and Chan.{{cite news |title=Bali Nine brought together in court |date=2 December 2005 |agency=Australian Associated Press|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Bali-Nine-brought-together-in-court/2005/12/02/1133422102381.html |work=The Age |accessdate=17 June 2011 }} Several days later, lawyers acting for some members of the Bali Nine initially sought the support of the Director of Public Prosecutions to intervene and lay charges for conspiracy to import drugs, so that the nine could be extradited and charged under Australian law.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1524678.htm |title=Lawyers seek charges to extradite Bali nine |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=6 December 2005 |accessdate=17 June 2011 }} However, the judges hearing the trial matters in Bali called for Australia not to intervene in Indonesia's right to impose capital punishment;.{{cite news |title=Don't interfere: Bali 9 judges |date=7 December 2005 |agency=Australian Associated Press|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/dont-interfere-bali-9-judges/2005/12/07/1133829643422.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=17 June 2011 }} Lawyers acting for Stephens, one of the Bali Nine, claimed that the fairness of his trial was in jeopardy following comments made in the media by Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda that Australians should be prepared for members of the Bali Nine to receive a death sentence, if found guilty.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/fairness-of-bali-nine-trial-at-risk-laywers/2005/12/07/1133829619599.html |title=Fairness of Bali Nine trial in jeopardy, say lawyers |agency=Australian Associated Press|work=The Age |date=7 December 2005 |accessdate=21 June 2011 }}

=Sentencing and appeal=

{{wikinews|Bali Nine ringleaders sentenced to death}}During his final plea to judges, Norman said:

{{quotation|I made a promise to myself that I would not take drugs or be associated with anybody involved of using drugs. I'd ask you today to give the opportunity to restart my new Christian life, which I have found in jail. I ask with all my heart you will let me have the opportunity to help other people in life. In all honesty I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}}}}

Norman's mother, Robyn Norman, said after sentencing a life sentence was a better result than the death penalty, and also thanked the Indonesian government for looking after her son:

{{quotation|Well, it's better than being shot, I suppose. He's OK. Hopefully they'll keep on looking after him while I'm not here and when I return and spend a bit more time with my son.{{citation needed|date=June 2011}}}}

On 15 February 2006 Norman was sentenced to life imprisonment. Commenting on the sentences at the time, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Keelty stated:

{{quotation|I stand by the police and what they've done … The Federal Court actually made a decision saying not only had they acted lawfully but they acted in accordance with government policy.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/death-by-firing-squad/2006/02/14/1139890737078.html |title=Death by firing squad |author2=McMahon, Neil |author1=Forbes, Mark |author3=Dodson, Louise |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 February 2006 |accessdate=2 July 2011 }}}}

Australian Prime Minister at that time, John Howard was reported as commenting:

{{quotation|The police are there to protect us from the ravages of drugs and I just hope that every young Australian who might in their wildest imagination think that they can get away with this will take a lesson from this.}} and {{quotation|I feel desperately sorry for the parents of these people. I do. All of us as parents will feel that way, but the warnings have been there for decades.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1570025.htm |title=Judges sentence Chan, Sukumaran to death |format=transcript |work=Lateline |location=Australia |date=14 February 2006 |accessdate=2 July 2011 |author=Thompson, Geoff }}}}

Appealing against the sentence, on 6 September 2006 his sentence was upgraded to the death penalty. On 5 March 2008, three judges in the Indonesian Supreme Court in Jakarta decided to spare the lives of Chen, Norman and Nguyen.

On 15 December 2024, Norman and the other four remaining members of the Bali Nine arrived back in Australia on a commercial flight.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-15/bali-nine-members-return-australia-drug-plot/104728110|title=Remaining Bali Nine members return to Australia after 20 years in Indonesian prison|publisher=ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|first=Jake|last=Evans|date=15 December 2024|accessdate=15 December 2024}} He will not be required to serve any further prison time in the country.{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/remaining-members-of-notorious-bali-nine-arrive-in-australia/news-story/5df1ec36f17e8eeeb55a8eceb44f293c|title=Remaining members of notorious Bali Nine arrive in Australia|publisher=news.com.au|first=Jessica|last=Wang|date=15 December 2024|accessdate=15 December 2024|quote=The five men will not face future imprisonment in Australia.}}

Criminal charges pending in Australia

In an earlier unrelated incident, Norman and Lawrence were arrested on 26 March 2005, travelling along the Pacific Highway in a stolen vehicle. It was reported that police were required to use road spikes to intercept the vehicle. Both were due to appear on 26 April 2005 in the Gosford Magistrates Court to face car theft and traffic related charges. However, due to their arrest in Indonesia nine days earlier, both Norman and Lawrence failed to appear.

Release

On 15 December 2024 it was announced that Norman, together with the other five of the convicted people still in prison, had been released, and Norman was now back in Australia.{{cite news |last1=Minelle |first1=Bethany |title='Bali Nine' drug smuggler ring members released after nearly 20 years in prison |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/five-remaining-bali-nine-members-released-after-nearly-20-years-in-prison/ar-AA1vT8W7 |access-date=15 December 2024 |publisher=MSN News |date=15 December 2024}}