Brokedown Palace: The Black Girl Edition

Remember that Claire Danes' flick where she travels to Thailand with a friend and they get mixed up with a guy who tricks them into transporting drugs? Well, here's a real life case of a 20 year-old British sister, Samantha Orobator, who may be facing death by firing squad in Laos because she was caught smuggling drugs. The sister said she was forced to do it by a third party (we don't know who). Chances are there's a man lurking around in this woman's past with less than honorable intentions. (Why is this always the case?)

Orobator's trial was supposed to start today but British officials didn't learn of her detention until months after she was elected. A British human rights agency, Reprieve, has been on the case for the last two weeks but they are understandably concerned that they won't have adequate time to retain local counsel and mount an adequate defense. She won't be able to see her lawyer for the first time until tomorrow.

What's even more troubling is that Orobator is five month's pregnant—probably as a result of rape while in the prison. Yet Laotian officials are still talking execution (even though the last death by firing squad was in 1990). Seems to me that they're trying to erase the problem of a black girl raped while in prison and the associated messiness by reviving such a practice.

Unfortunately, this is not a "Bridget Jones" sequel recast with a black heroine. This is the ugliness of real life. There will be no Marc Darcy running to Orobator's rescue or any happy sing-along with the inmates. So the British government is finally letting the rest of the world know about Orobator's plight.

Let's all pray that's it's not too late. But let's also warn sisters of all ages that just because a man is FINE we shouldn't lose our heads (and instincts of self-preservation) along with hearts before we know what he's all about.