British Pensioner's Nightmare in Chilean Prison

0:00On March 23, an 80-year-old British pensioner from Wales faces a desperate fight for survival in a Chilean prison after his arrest for smuggling. Methamphetamine worth 200,000 pounds. William Eastman has been held in high security custody since late May when authorities found the drugs hidden in his luggage at Santiago Airport. He claims he was tricked by scammers who promised him a 3.7 million-pound prize for delivering the suitcase which a stranger handed him. In Mexico, just before his flight, Eastman says he planned a short stop in Chilean route to Australia unaware of the contents. Prison life has taken a heavy toll, with repeated bouts of pneumonia worsening his existing health problems amid reports of overcrowding and tough. Conditions at Santiago One Facility. Far from home, he's also lost his UK state pension payments, leaving him without income. His lawyers are now pushing for a faster legal process, like a shortened trial or even supervised release in Chile under strict monitoring to get him out of jail.

1:02But major obstacles remain, including the need for a family member to guarantee his medical bills, since as a tourist he's not covered by state care. Efforts to line up that support continue. What time is running short, as Eastman insists he fell victim to an elaborate inheritance scam involving fake. E-mails from supposed officials. The outcome hangs in the balance for this vulnerable man caught in a nightmare abroad.