Noriega Loses Round in
Bid to Avoid French
Trial
A U.S. judge refused to
shield former Panamanian
dictator Manuel Noriega
from possibly being sent
to France to face
criminal charges after
he completes a prison
term in Florida for drug
trafficking.
Noriega, who surrendered
to U.S. troops following
the 1989 U.S. invasion
of Panama, is scheduled
to be released Sept. 9
from prison in Florida,
where he was convicted
in 1992 of eight drug-
related charges.
France wants to
prosecute Noriega on
money-laundering charges
A court hearing on
France's extradition
request is scheduled for
Aug. 28 in Miami.
Noriega wants to be sent
to Panama, where he has
been convicted in
absentia of crimes
related to the murder of
a political adversary.
"It appears that the
extradition proceedings
should proceed
uninterrupted,'' U.S.
District Judge William
Hoeveler said in Miami
rejecting Noriega's
request from an order
barring from being sent
to France.
Noriega's age is in
dispute. He is listed as
71 on the U.S. Bureau of
Prisons Web site and
prosecutors say he is
69.
Government lawyer Sean
Cronin told Hoeveler
during an Aug. 13
hearing that the Geneva
Conventions, governing
treatment of prisoners
of war, let the U.S.
hold Noriega pending
possible extradition.
The 2006 U.S. Military
Commissions Act also
authorizes the U.S. to
continue holding him,
Cronin said.
Noriega's lawyer, Jon
May, said at the hearing
that Noriega is entitled
to be released after he
finishes serving his
prison term. |
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