Posted on 11/20/2002 10:36:15 AM PST by Cinnamon Girl
WASHINGTON (AP) - The mother of teenage sniper suspect John Lee Malvo has been ordered deported to Jamaica, a federal government official said Wednesday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Una James, 38, dropped battered spouse claims that were part of a petition she withdrew seeking special protection in the United States. An immigration judge then signed an order deporting her to Jamaica.
The order was issued Tuesday during a closed hearing.
The official said James also dropped any plans to appeal, meaning she will be sent back to Jamaica soon by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
James' lawyers from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project would not comment, citing confidentiality rules. The petition for special protection provided her with more privacy, including the right to have the proceedings closed to the public.
The decision was first reported by The Seattle Times
Malvo, 17, and John Allen Muhammad, 41, are suspected in the shootings of 18 people in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. Their arrest at a rest stop in Maryland last month ended a three-week shooting spree in the Washington area that left 10 people dead and three others seriously wounded. Both are charged with capital murder.
James is considered a likely material witness in the trials of both men.
She and Malvo moved from Jamaica to Antigua in 1998. Investigators believe it was there that Malvo met Muhammad, who had taken three of his children to live with him on Antigua after losing a custody battle with his second wife in Tacoma.
James initially told Border Patrol and immigration agents she and Malvo were smuggled into the United States aboard a cargo ship.
Reports following the arrest of Malvo and Muhammad, however, indicate she bought false identification papers from Muhammad and entered the country in late 2000 while her son remained in Antigua with Muhammad.
Malvo came to the United States two months later, bearing a passport that identified him as Muhammad's son, according to Antiguan officials.
He joined his mother in Fort Myers, Fla., but ran away in October 2001 to join Muhammad in Bellingham, where they lived at a homeless shelter as father and son.
In December, James asked Bellingham police to help her get her son back. During the investigation, police said Malvo's comments indicated he and his mother were in the country illegally and officers summoned the Border Patrol, which arrested the mother and son and then released them on $1,500 bail.
Investigators believe that Malvo almost immediately rejoined Muhammad and the killing spree began soon afterward.
Shouldn't there be a "Hold Muh Spliff, Mon" Alert? |
Maybe she gave the son in exchange for smuggling her to the US. Maybe she only claims to have tried to get him back.
Sorry if my reply was snappish. I just didn't want to be taken for a disruptor of any kind, because I am not. I did think a lurker is someone who just read articles and posts here for a while before signing up.
If that isn't the correct term, feel free to correct me!!!
I am not a real Keyster, I just got hired by them to do a job. But I did support a lot of his conservative ussue. I am probably a bit more conservative than Dr. Keyes, whom I have a lot of respect for.
I actually voted for Howard Phillips. I am pretty much a Constitutionalist.
Ms James will fight it all the way and the hacks will let her.
I blame the federal hacks. Letting scum like her and her son in this country.
The INS and the courts let crap like this go on day after day.
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