Australian Could Face Hangman in Malaysia

Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto (L), 54, is escorted upon her arrival at the Shah Alam High Court ahead of the verdict in her drugs conviction in Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur, on Dec. 27, 2017. Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images

Convicted Australian drug trafficker Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto could still face the hangman after Malaysia stepped back from plans to abolish the death penalty and instead leave capital punishment to the discretion of the courts.

Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto (C), is escorted upon her departure from the Shah Alam High Court after she was cleared of drug trafficking charges in Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur, on Dec. 27, 2017.
Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images