Brit Drug Mule Plea Deal Could Cut 60-Year US Sentence

Kimberley Hall, a 29-year-old British woman from Middlesbrough, was arrested at Chicago's O'Hare Airport for attempting to smuggle 43kg of cocaine valued at around £15 million. Initially facing a potential 60-year prison sentence in the U.S., Hall is now negotiating a plea deal that could reduce her sentence to between four and six years, with credit for time served potentially allowing her to return to the UK within one to two years. The prosecution is expected to accept the plea deal after acknowledging that Hall was coerced by two British men into transporting the suitcases, which she believed contained $250,000 in cash from a vacation in Mexico. Her family expressed relief and joy at the prospect of a significantly reduced sentence, emphasizing her innocence and the emotional and financial toll the ordeal has taken. Hall's decision-making was reportedly affected by her bipolar condition, and her father has maintained that she is not a criminal but a naive young woman caught in difficult circumstances. The final sentencing is expected to be finalized in the coming month as the court hearing has been adjourned to allow both sides to finalize the terms.