Posted on 08/14/2007 7:21:54 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
MIAMI: Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, to be released from a U.S. prison in September, was due in court Monday for a hearing on an extradition request from France, which wants him to be tried there. Noriega, 72, is to leave a Miami prison Sept. 9 after serving 15 years for drug trafficking and racketeering. He wants to fly immediately to Panama to fight a conviction in the slayings of two political opponents, his lawyers have said. But American prosecutors are pushing for his extradition to France, where Noriega was convicted in absentia in 1999 on money-laundering charges. He was accused of using drug profits in part to buy luxurious apartments in Paris.
Noriega is set to appear before Senior U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler, the same jurist who presided over his original trial. Hoeveler will decide whether the U.S. extradition attempt is valid, although it is unclear when he will rule. A magistrate judge will separately decide whether Noriega should actually be sent to France...
Noriega's attorneys argue that Hoeveler declared Noriega a prisoner of war, a designation that they say requires he be sent home to Panama under the Geneva Conventions. The U.S. says the Geneva Conventions cannot be used to block his extradition....
In 1992, Noriega was tried and convicted in the U.S. of accepting bribes to allow shipments of U.S.-bound cocaine through Panama. His 30-year sentence has been reduced for good behavior.
Panamanians, meanwhile, are split on whether Noriega should be imprisoned in their country. A poll conducted in July found 47 percent of Panamanians want him imprisoned their country and 44 percent want him sent to a third country. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
If that’s the case, why don’t we try him in international court/
Because, as the story points out, both France and Panama have prior claims on him.
yes, but knowing now what we know of the Bushes, could there have been funny business with this guy and maybe jailing him was a payback to someone or and incentive to others?....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.