UPDATE ON THE MICHAEL WHITE STORY.......................................................................
In Korea, when there is a court case... you don't actually go to court. Not at least until the very end & the judge is making a decision. Instead of going to court... you write down EVERYTHING you think the Judge/lawyers might think to ask. You ask all the questions you can think of... because this is your one shot at being heard.
After all the papers are submitted... its pretty much between the judges & lawyers to have a bunch of meetings. In an effort to "humanize" the process, Korea allows what is called the "impact statement" or "opinion statement".
this is where friends & family write 1/2 to 1 page about how this event (in our case, Mike's unexplained death) has impacted your life. How has your life changed now that Mike is no longer here. How has your life/perspective changed since you've witnessed the progress of the case (hearsay is allowed in Korea).
I haven't been given a time line on when these are due in court... but I do think it will be within a couple of weeks at best. If you are able and willing, please write an impact/opinion statement for Mike. Send it to this email address... no attachments please.. just write it directly into the email. Then I can print them out with a time stamp on them, and have them translated into Korean. It costs about 30.000 won per page, so please be informative, concise... but not too wordy...
By taking a few minutes to write a few words for Mike, you "bring him to life" for the Judge and hopefully, touch the heart of the judge to look favorably upon Mike's side. Remember, it is critical we win, because I'm not sueing for a wad of cash, I'm sueing to make the police investigate the case fully, ie a FULL and PROPER autopsy, actually talk to witnesses, think logistically. .. you know.. police work.
If the Judge rules in Mike's favor, the case will be "reopened" (it actually hasn't been closed... it's been put in the "inactive" files) and a higher level of police investigation will be conducted... I'm hoping for Korean FBI.
Please don't be concerned about giving your names/info on the papers, as only your "name" is needed. I was not instructed to get any other information. .. your email address on the email acts as authenticating that you are a real person. Remember, this is Korean court not western style courts.
Please... just a few words... show Mike's existence has some meaning... perhaps even a higher purpose because all who knew him well were devastated by the loss of his love, friendship, and sharing a future together.
With grateful thanks for your consideration. ...
Mike's mom,
Stephannie
PS I'm not a legal expert on Korean law, this is just what I've been told by the lawyer. Flamers with differing opinions/legal advice, please shove it where the sun don't shine.
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Well folks,
its still an uphill battle getting the information/ slides from the police/forensics.
Last Friday, I was told all was a go to pick up the materials at the police station. The embassy let them know I'd come by after class, @ 5pm to pick it up.
When I arrived, all I was given was an envelope... the sob cop was actually going to pull out the photos for me to look at. Luckily my hair was down that day, so when I turned my head, my hair formed a curtain & I didn't see anything. Geez!
All it was, were 4 pages of photos... thumbnail size, printed on regular paper with poor quality. I didn't look directly at them, but later at home, I used my fingers to count the pages, then held them up to the light to see the outline of the photos... and I could see the ink had bled through the edges of the photos, which tells me all around poor quality ~ even with excellent photos, if we don't have the slides (glass ones for a microscope) then a second opinion is mute.
The embassy was trying all day today to reach Dr. Lee, who is supposedly in possession of the slides. He failed to return phone calls, answer the office phone, or answer his cell phone all day. The embassy will try again tomorrow.
In the mean time, Julian & I were chatting over the weekend & the idea emerged that if we just go ahead & move Mike to Seoul, then it might be easier to talk SNU forensics lab into running the extra tests if nothing else ~ Since he's already in Seoul....
So I've made arrangements with Global Mortuary to transport Mike to Seoul. Global offers the first week free, and 50.ooo a day for morgue fee (rather than the 60 a day at SaoMyung) and 2 mil for cremation, rather than the 3.5 in Daegu. Global also has the right kind of vehicle to transport Mike properly. I haven't heard what they are charging for the transport fee yet, but with a free week, 1.5 less for cremation and 10.000 less a day... I cant help but think we'll come out ahead by moving him. At the very least it should buy more time.
Anyway.. so that's what I'm doing tomorrow morning... wish me luck!
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