Serious non-election question here: LEGAL ISSUES

[stop the bleeding]

My buddy was on a cruise last week Tampa to Cozumel.

During the open water section of the trip(day 2, I believe)a cruise line employee spotted some stuff in their room that looked alot like Marijuana(which it was/is).

Now everything I am about to relate has been second hand and third hand.

Right now my buddy is sitting in jail with no roof, no food and no TP - apparently his wife and her brother are still there taking meals to him as much as they can.

No one on this side knows what to do, she the wife has already contacted the US Embassy and all they told her was to contact a list of lawyers that they gave her, and that is not going so well.

There has been talk of buying the judge/prosecuting atty off for a cool 4K. Now here is where it gets crazy - the 4K was wired through Western Union and of course the 4K never got there. But the Dallas office is checking on a "glitch" and they think they will be able to locate the 4K.

Here is my deal, if we send this money to the Judge/atty for a buy off who is to say that they will not take the money and run? I think the whole thing is sketchy to say the least.

According to the wife there has been some talk as to what longitude/latitude the ship was at during the crime ie: to establish jurisdiction. Now this bit info has to come from the ship the same people who are pressing charges. Kinda of a catch 22.

I would call Charlie Crist's office if I had definite information on the jurisdiction since he is the Atty General for Florida, but since I don't know the jurisdiction for sure and today is the election Crist is out.

I have Googled this situation and it seems like my buddy is screwed unless the 4K bribe will work.

THIS IS FOR REAL NOT a JOKE.

Please any help/concrete information on this situation would be most appreciated.

[MercutioATC]

1. I'd go for the bribe.

...assuming there's been some real indication that $4k will do it.

[seabeyond]

2. that is the whle thing with a bribe. you dont know..... bummer for your

friend. being a pot love of past,.... i would have NEVER have done that. dont mess in foriegn waters.

[hang a left]

3. OK I know people this has happened to in Rosarito Beach

It is an automatic 72 hour hold for marijuana possession. Then they deport you. The people at the jail tried to refer me to a TJ attorney for 1000$ to get him out and never told me about the law.

I don't know where in Mexico he is being held. They don't mess with Americans too bad here.

[stop the bleeding]

5. he has been in custody since Saturday - we are well past the 72 hour thing

in fact the ship took him into custody on Friday night.

[Horse with no Name]

4. This doesn't make sense

If this actually happened in the water--international waterways would prevail. This means that they would be under the jurisdiction of whichever flag the cruise ship flies under, not the port of call.

[stop the bleeding]

6. that is just it

the wife can not get a straight answer and mind you I am hearing this from her mother and a friend of ours, The longitude and latitude is critical here, cause if it was in Florida's waters then I would try to get the Florida Authorities involved. If it is in International then I think we may looking at Panama, cause that is the ship's port of origin, and the last situation would be if it happened in waters that fall under Cozumel's.

So establishing the where abouts when the crime was committed is crucial

thanks for your help. :)

[stop the bleeding]

7. anyone have some more help on this?

thanks in advance