FOR ALL THOSE WANTING THE TRUE STORY!!!!!

I have seen several posts that mentioned that this was a true story and I haven't found where anyone has given a tangible answer. So, here it goes.(Mind you, I THINK this is MOST LIKELY what was the inspiration for this film as they say it is "loosely" based on true events.

I watched the documentary today about Krista Barnes and Jennifer Davis (both 19 years old I believe) who were jailed in Lima, Peru in 1996(Just three years before the release of this film) for trafficing cocaine.

Both girls became best friends while working as club promoters here in Hollywood. A Peruvian friend of Krista's came back into town after an extended absence and shortly there after invited both of the girls to live in his spacious ocean side home. Naturally, they accepted.

Some time later, three of his Peruvian friends came to visit and one morning the three friends (supposedly behind their friend's back) offered the girls an all expenses paid two-three week vacation in Peru + $5,000 each in exchange for bringing back "a very small quantity of cocaine" that would be hid in the lining of their suitcases and they would never even know it was there. After thinking it over for a couple of days the girls decided they could put $5,000 in the bank and split the other 5,000 to visit their families in the Mid-West and Michigan upon their arrival back in the States so, they accepted.

Once they arrived in Peru, they knew it was not going to be as rosey as the gentlemen had promised. They were greeted by two over-bearing men who immediately took their baggage to plant the drugs and put them up in a crappy hotel and demanded they not leave.

When the job was done the men took the girls clothes and packed their bags. When they returned them the girls immediately removed all the clothes to make sure there was no sign of the cocaine. To the naked eye, nothing was amiss.

When they arrived at the airport, there were custom agents and drug dogs everywhere to sniff out would-be smugglers. When the girls approached the ticket counter there was already a customs agent there. He asked the girls routine questions as they made their purchases. Sensing their story might not be entirely accurate (the customs agents at this particular airport are highly trained to spot smugglers) he took them into an interrogation room for further questiong where each girl denied having drugs. Using a tool to puncture the sides of the bag, they found the cocaine.

After nearly an hour of dismantling the bags all the cocaine had been removed. The "very small quantity" the girls were to bring back was actually upwards of around 20 pounds of cocaine! Said to be worth merely $5,000 in Peru, here in the U.S. where they were in route to, it would be worth well over a million.

They were immediately jailed and incarcerated for 18 months before they were formally charged. In March of 1998 they were sentenced to 6 years, one more than the minimum 5 years (in America they would have received a minimum 10 years).

Finally, after nearly three years of negotiations made by both their Peruvian attorney and a team of American law students, they were released for good behavior on March 23, 1999.

-----Although, not nearly as severe as the story in Brokedown Palace, I'm sure this was the inspiration for the film given how recent this had happened in comparison to the films release.>>>>>THIS DOCUMENTARY CAN BE SEEN "ON DEMAND" WITH TIME WARNER CABLE! It's under Entertainment>Natl Geographic>Hit Shows>*Locked Up: Peru* (Keep in mind todays date of 10/19/07 as it may have ended by the time you are reading this.)

I hope this helps!