Eliadah McCord
Encyclopedia
Eliadah "Lia" McCord is an American
woman who was convicted of smuggling heroin in Bangladesh
at the age of 18. She was subsequently sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment
, but was pardoned after four years and six months at the request of Congressman Bill Richardson. McCord's story was documented on Raw TV's Banged Up Abroad
(Locked Up Abroad in the United States of America).
, USA
. She left home when she was 18 years old
and moved into an apartment with a friend. After a few months, they were becoming low on funds when McCord's roommate returned from a trip to Europe, claiming to have made $10,000 (USD
) by smuggling
diamonds. Intrigued, McCord agreed to meet her roommate's employer, but when she learned that not only would she be traveling to Bangladesh, but would also be smuggling drugs, she became reluctant. McCord's soon-to-be employer then doubled the payment to $20,000 and informed her that she would be smuggling drugs into Switzerland
, not the US. McCord agreed. She learned that her roommate had also smuggled heroin, not diamonds, through an airport.
After two weeks, the last five days of which were spent at a five-star resort in Dhaka
, unsure of when she would receive the drugs, McCord became impatient as her vacation visa was about to expire. According to McCord, as she was attempting to flee at the last minute, she was caught in the resort's lobby by the supplier, who then forced her into a cab and duct-taped 7 lbs
of heroin to her body.
After being taken into custody, McCord was shocked to learn that the penalty for drug smuggling in Bangladesh was death. The police allegedly led McCord to believe that if she identified the supplier who gave her the heroin, all charges would be dropped and she would be allowed to go home. As an American teenager raised to trust the police, McCord took them at their word. She told Christian Reader Magazine that she had heard of extradition agreements and expected, at the very least, to be returned to the US once she led them to the supplier. Her early cooperation with the police, and the fact that the judge did not believe McCord to be a frequent smuggler, resulted in McCord receiving a life sentence rather than death by hanging
. McCord reported being told that the court asked the Americans if they could sentence her to hang as a sign of solidarity with the US Government's War on Drugs. McCord was told that the court was advised that the Americans would accept no harsher sentence for their citizen than what had historically been handed down to one of their own women for a similar case. Days before McCord's sentencing hearing, she told Christian Reader, a renowned drug dealer in Dhaka was sentenced mid-trial to life imprisonment. She was later released for mistrial, but the precedent had been set; McCord was sentenced to 30 years—the Bangladeshi equivalent of a life sentence.
and taught other prisoners of her Christianity
, as they taught her of their Hindu
and Muslim
faiths.
In 1996, after four years and six months in prison, McCord was pardoned at the request of Congressman Bill Richardson. Due to significant efforts by US Embassy consulate officers, the pardon was processed in record time and she returned home in Richardson's custody on July 30, 1996. After a day in Washington DC, McCord returned to Houston with her mother on August 1, 1996.
McCord earned an associate degree (June 1999) and bachelor's degree
(June 2001) within five years of returning to the US. She also worked full-time at NASA
's Johnson Space Center in Houston and, more recently, at the AES Corporation
. She now lives and works in Washington, D.C.
During the interview on the National Geographic episode, McCord said she learned a lot and would never do it again, but would not change the past.
In an interview at the airport in Dhaka, McCord spoke in Bengali and expressed affection for the people of Bangladesh, as well as a desire to return one day and show the gracious government what she has done with the second chance they gave her.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
woman who was convicted of smuggling heroin in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
at the age of 18. She was subsequently sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
, but was pardoned after four years and six months at the request of Congressman Bill Richardson. McCord's story was documented on Raw TV's Banged Up Abroad
Banged Up Abroad
Banged Up Abroad is a British documentary/docudrama television series created by Bart Layton that was produced for Channel Five and that premiered in March 2006...
(Locked Up Abroad in the United States of America).
Biography
McCord grew up in Houston, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She left home when she was 18 years old
and moved into an apartment with a friend. After a few months, they were becoming low on funds when McCord's roommate returned from a trip to Europe, claiming to have made $10,000 (USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) by smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
diamonds. Intrigued, McCord agreed to meet her roommate's employer, but when she learned that not only would she be traveling to Bangladesh, but would also be smuggling drugs, she became reluctant. McCord's soon-to-be employer then doubled the payment to $20,000 and informed her that she would be smuggling drugs into Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, not the US. McCord agreed. She learned that her roommate had also smuggled heroin, not diamonds, through an airport.
After two weeks, the last five days of which were spent at a five-star resort in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, unsure of when she would receive the drugs, McCord became impatient as her vacation visa was about to expire. According to McCord, as she was attempting to flee at the last minute, she was caught in the resort's lobby by the supplier, who then forced her into a cab and duct-taped 7 lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
of heroin to her body.
Arrest and sentence
McCord stated in her interview on National Geographic's Locked Up Abroad that she was threatened by her supplier as he dropped her at the airport. Afraid, and anxious to return home, McCord approached her gate. When she realized passengers were being searched physically, she rushed to the restroom to attempt to remove the packages. The heat made the duct tape melt and she was unable to remove it. She stated that she prayed and asked that she get through this, promising she would never do anything bad again. Upon exiting the restroom, McCord noticed the official was behind a curtain and could not see her. She attempted to go to the airplane without being searched. Mere steps away from success, the official came out of the room and called McCord back.After being taken into custody, McCord was shocked to learn that the penalty for drug smuggling in Bangladesh was death. The police allegedly led McCord to believe that if she identified the supplier who gave her the heroin, all charges would be dropped and she would be allowed to go home. As an American teenager raised to trust the police, McCord took them at their word. She told Christian Reader Magazine that she had heard of extradition agreements and expected, at the very least, to be returned to the US once she led them to the supplier. Her early cooperation with the police, and the fact that the judge did not believe McCord to be a frequent smuggler, resulted in McCord receiving a life sentence rather than death by hanging
Death by hanging
Death by hanging may refer to:* Hanging* Death by Hanging, a 1968 film by Nagisa Oshima...
. McCord reported being told that the court asked the Americans if they could sentence her to hang as a sign of solidarity with the US Government's War on Drugs. McCord was told that the court was advised that the Americans would accept no harsher sentence for their citizen than what had historically been handed down to one of their own women for a similar case. Days before McCord's sentencing hearing, she told Christian Reader, a renowned drug dealer in Dhaka was sentenced mid-trial to life imprisonment. She was later released for mistrial, but the precedent had been set; McCord was sentenced to 30 years—the Bangladeshi equivalent of a life sentence.
Imprisonment and pardon
Though devastated that her "youth was over," McCord tried to make the most of being in prison. She learned to speak BengaliBengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and taught other prisoners of her Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, as they taught her of their Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
faiths.
In 1996, after four years and six months in prison, McCord was pardoned at the request of Congressman Bill Richardson. Due to significant efforts by US Embassy consulate officers, the pardon was processed in record time and she returned home in Richardson's custody on July 30, 1996. After a day in Washington DC, McCord returned to Houston with her mother on August 1, 1996.
McCord earned an associate degree (June 1999) and bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
(June 2001) within five years of returning to the US. She also worked full-time at NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Johnson Space Center in Houston and, more recently, at the AES Corporation
AES Corporation
AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
. She now lives and works in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
During the interview on the National Geographic episode, McCord said she learned a lot and would never do it again, but would not change the past.
In an interview at the airport in Dhaka, McCord spoke in Bengali and expressed affection for the people of Bangladesh, as well as a desire to return one day and show the gracious government what she has done with the second chance they gave her.