[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 105 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     EXTRADITION TREATY WITH MEXICO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 2002

  Mr. DAN MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring an 
issue to the floor of great importance to every member of this body and 
to the entire nation. Throughout my career on Capitol Hill I have 
worked hard to ensure that criminals who flee our borders are returned 
to face our justice system. Unfortunately, many criminals are never 
returned to the United States, particularly those who flee to Mexico. 
Too many criminals are running south where, in violation of our 
bilateral extradition treaty, the government refuses to extradite 
criminals who may face a penalty of life imprisonment or the death 
penalty. This is an outrage! Why should hardened criminals with no 
respect for human life be allowed to serve lesser penalties in Mexico 
or even be set free in direct violation of our treaty? They should not. 
They should be returned to face our legal system.
  This is a problem that has tormented many prosecutors and plagued 
many states, including my home State of Florida. I recognized the need 
for extradition reform after Jose Luis Del Torro killed a mother of 
four in Sarasota, Florida and fled to Mexico. After an enormous amount 
of negotiation, we were able to bring Del Torro to justice. But instead 
of a possible death sentence, arrangements were made for Del Torro to 
spend the rest of his life in a jail cell.
  In May of this year, David March, a dedicated 33-year-old Los Angeles 
County Sheriff's Deputy, was shot to death during a routine traffic 
stop in Irwindale, California. The prime suspect in the cold-blooded 
execution style murder of this police officer is a known and repeated 
violent criminal and is believed to have fled to his native Mexico. If 
arrested in Mexico, there is no guarantee that Deputy March's killer 
will ever be brought to justice. Current Mexican policy would prevent 
extradition for any future prosecution in the United States for the 
murder of Deputy March--a crime that under California law requires at 
least a potential life sentence.
  For years criminals have fled our southern border to evade our 
justice system, and we now have a case where a cop killer is believed 
to have done the same.
  Mr. Speaker, Mexico claims that no matter what the crime, a criminal 
can in fact be rehabilitated and thus does not respect our penalties. 
Our penalties, however, are the way we, the United States, send a 
message to those who disdain our laws and way of life. I strongly urge 
everyone in this room to support extradition reform and ensure that cop 
killers do not flee to Mexico to escape justice.

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