[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11328-S11329]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      EXTRADITION OF MARTIN PANG FROM BRAZIL TO THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 132, which 
was received from the House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 132) relating to the 
     extradition of Martin Pang from Brazil to the United States.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the concurrent resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, on January 5, 1995, four firefighters were 
killed in a blaze in Seattle's International District. After intensive 
investigations by the Seattle police and fire departments, the King 
County Prosecutor's Office, the U.S. Attorney General's Office, and the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Martin S. Pang was charged 
with deliberately setting his parents' seafood warehouse on fire to 
collect insurance money. In January of 1995, Mr. Pang fled to Brazil 
where he stayed until March 1, 1996. He was extradited on the condition 
that murder charges not be brought against him.

[[Page S11329]]

  The focus of this resolution is on that extradition, and why those 
conditions should be waived by the Brazilian Government to see that 
justice is fully served. You see, Mr. President, under the extradition 
treaty we have with Brazil, criminal suspects may only be extradited to 
face charges for crimes that exist in both countries. In Brazil, murder 
as a result of arson is not a crime. It is in the United States.
  Martin Pang's pretrial hearing is scheduled for October 8, 1996. 
Under the conditions of our extradition treaty, the Brazilian Supreme 
Court ruled that Pang could be returned to the States to face arson 
charges only. Murder, a crime of which he has been accused and which he 
should stand trial for, is not an option. There is recourse, however. 
The United States Government believes that under our extradition 
treaty, the executive branch of Brazil has the authority to consent to 
the prosecution of Martin Pang on felony murder charges, despite the 
Brazilian Supreme Court's ruling. By doing so in this case, Brazil 
would give its consent for the United States to try Pang on all of the 
charges which have been brought against him.
  This resolution sends a strong message to the Brazilian Government. 
Four firefighters died doing their job honorably. It is no less our 
responsibility to see that the accused be tried for the full scope of 
his crime.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be deemed agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution appear at 
this point in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 132) was agreed to.

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