Posted on 06/10/2005 7:57:44 AM PDT by CIDKauf
Gomez-Garcia could spend life in prison Decision on charges may ease bid for extradition to Denver
By Sarah Langbein and Brian D. Crecente, Rocky Mountain News June 10, 2005
There is still a chance Raul Gomez-Garcia could spend the rest of his life behind bars in the United States.
That's possible because Gomez-Garcia was charged Thursday with second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
A first-degree murder charge, which carries a sentence of life without parole or the death penalty, would have made it unlikely Mexico would send Gomez-Garcia here to stand trial for the slaying of a Denver police officer.
Mexican government insisting that they won't extradite him if he is subject to life in prison without parole.
I don't think they will. They won't extradite if the penalty is death or life in prison without parole.
I believe that the longest sentence in Mexico for murder is 60 years. I don't know what the law is in Colorado, but I doubt if they can make a sentencing exception for some Mexican national.
(resigned and cynical)
Same here. We shoulda popped him when he first crossed over.
This guy is a snake. If he remains in Mexico, his life is likely to be violent and short, as indicated by his prior behavior.
(Think Nuevo Laredo).
If he returns to the U.S. He's likely to be captured again. First Degree murder is the ticket and fry him. As a matter of fact, I'd try him in absentia just to send a clear message.
Either way he's toast.
That to me is the just option, given the position of the Mexican Government.
Let's see if we can get Gomez-Garcia elected Mayor of Nuevo Laredo. That's the Mexican equivalent of the death penalty.
Reading the article, you will see that he is charged with 2nd degree murder of Detective Donald Young (25 to life) and attempted 1st degree murder of Officer Foster...no life without parole...good luck with the parole board though
I wonder if they are not going for a concurent sentance?
The idea is that if convicted of all charges, he could get the max of 96 years of which he would have to serve a maximum of 72 years, making him 90+ years old when eligible for release. Not only that, but the Denver DA could include other charges to pile on the time.
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