Basketball Player Faces Death Penalty in Indonesia After ‘Stupid Mistake’
A basketball player could be facing the death penalty after a raid on his apartment uncovered $400 worth of drugs.
Jarred Shaw, from Dallas, Texas, played college basketball for Utah State Aggies and was later drafted to the Santa Cruz Warriors in the 2025 NBA development league draft
He later played in a number of countries including Tunisia, Argentina Thailand, Uruguay and Venezuela before settling in Indonesia and representing Prawira Bandung,
Satria Muda Pertamina and Tangerang Hawks, his most recent team.
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He was with the Hawks until May when he was arrested after 132 cannabis gummies were illegally imported from Thailand. 10 undercover officers were present for a bust on Shaw when he went to collect the package at an apartment complex in Tangerang Regency.
The 35-year-old was fired and issued with a lifetime ban from the Indonesian Basketball League but has now been in detention for five months and could be facing a long spell behind bars - or even the death penalty.
Indonesia have incredibly strict laws on drugs and more than 500 people are on death row - the majority for offences linked to drugs.
Executions were carried out in 2016 by firing squad for individuals.
Shaw's cannabis gummies weighed 869 grams and were worth $400 worth - with the power forward claims he uses them medically to help him with Crohn's disease
"I use cannabis as a medicine," he told The Guardian in an interview conducted over the phone from the prison he is in.
"I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable. There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that stops my stomach from aching.”
He added: “I don’t use it to have fun and go party. With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food down or go to the toilet. It just soothes the pain a little bit.”
Shaw said he "made a stupid mistake" which now has people telling him he is poised to spend the rest of his life in prison."
The horrific situation left the 6ft 11 athlete feeling "helpless and alone" to the point that he "didn't want to make up again" such was his dark mental state.
Sharing a prison cell with many others, he is still yet to receive a court day five months after his arrest and a GoFundMe has been set up by a friend to cover his legal fees.
The case has drawn comparisons to that of American basketball player Brittney Griner, who spent 10 months in Russia for possession of cannabis vape cartridges before she was released.
Commenting on the situation, Stephanie Shepard, director of advocacy at Last Prisoner Project (LPP), said: “Jarred’s case is not an isolated incident. Around the world, people are serving extreme sentences for non-violent cannabis offences that pose no threat to public safety.
“These punishments run counter to international human rights standards."
Topics: Basketball
Josh Lawless