American Who Mailed Self Marijuana Faces Death Penalty in Malaysia Trial

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian officials testified today that an American man--the first to stand trial under this nation’s strict drug law--apparently mailed himself a package containing marijuana.

Malaysian law carries a mandatory death sentence for those convicted of drug trafficking.

Kerry Lane Wiley, 38, of Sacramento is being tried on charges he had 16.85 ounces of marijuana in his possession in November.

Under the law, prosecutors do not need to prove a sale occurred to win a trafficking conviction; the mere possession of 3.5 ounces or more of marijuana or half an ounce of heroin is deemed to constitute trafficking.

Malaysian officials testified today that the marijuana was in a package that Wiley apparently mailed to himself from Bangkok, Thailand.

Zainad Daud, a customs officer, told the court that authorities became suspicious when they noticed that the sender and the recipient of the package were the same person. They inspected it and found the marijuana.

Wiley was arrested after signing for the package when it was delivered to him.

Customs officials said Wiley, a lecturer in computers at a college in Hawaii, entered Malaysia from Bangkok and was staying at a friend’s house.

Since Parliament allowed the death penalty for drug trafficking in 1975, 340 people have been sentenced to death. Of these, 112 have been hanged, including about 30 foreigners.

The trial is scheduled to run about three weeks. Drug trafficking suspects do not qualify for bail, and Wiley has been confined to Kuala Lumpur’s Pudu Prison.