"Culley, 19, who is pregnant, was arrested in May at Tbilisi Airport and accused of attempting to smuggle 12 kilograms (26.4 pounds) of marijuana and two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of hashish into the country. If convicted, she faced up to 15 years or life imprisonment, but a plea bargain intended to reduce her sentence is currently being finalised, her lawyer Malkhaz Salakhaia told reporters."
""Reaching an agreement with the prosecutor's office is in its final stage," Mr Salakhaia said. "All the conditions under which a plea agreement will be concluded regarding the charges against Bella May Culley are known to my client, Bella May Culley, and her family members. "Only the technical issues remain to be finalised, for which we need several more days.""
Bella May Culley, 19 and pregnant, was arrested at Tbilisi Airport in May accused of smuggling 12 kilograms of marijuana and two kilograms of hashish. She initially faced penalties up to 15 years or life imprisonment. A plea bargain is being finalised that aims to reduce her sentence. Her family paid 500,000 lari (about £137,800) as part of the plea arrangement. Legal representatives say agreement terms are known and only technical matters remain. Officials say Georgia law allows financial plea agreements in some drug cases. She previously pleaded not guilty, alleging torture and coercion in Thailand.
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