JA denies a US extradition request

[evanovitch]

In a major decision which has shaken the foundation of the legal fraterntity, the Jamaican government has denied a request by the US government for a Jamaican fugitive.

After spending 25 months in custody awaiting extradition, Prestley Bingham otherwise called "Presser" and "Butcherman" walked free from the Tower street adult correctional Centre in downtown Kingston Friday.

Mr. Bingham who has been described by US prosecutors as a major palyer in the drug trafficking trade was ordered extradited in November.

But in a startling about turn, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne exercised her override authority and ordered his release from custody.

It is understood that his legal team was successful in convincing the Minister that there was no basis for the extradition.

Jacquiline Samuels-Brown is Mr. Bingham's attorney.

"The Minister exercised her power in accordance with the Extradition Act and what the public needs to understands is that the Extradition Act is very deliberate in its structure; establishing certain powers, giving the court certain powers and at the same time giving the minister other powers for the protection of the citizens of Jamaica,

"Under the Extradition Act in particular, it allows the minister in the exercise of her own discretion to order the release of any citizen of Jamaica who she feels has been dealt with unjustly," she said.

The Government's position and that of the ministry will be conveyed to the United States government.

Law-enforcement officers have reportedly been caught off guard by the Attorney General's decision.

A Gleaner report Friday said there were fears that this sudden release may impact the cases of three other persons facing extradition, including West Kingston businessman, Christopher "Dudus" Coke.

Bingham has been the target of extradition efforts by the US previously.

The 2009 request was the second time that the US was seeking his extradition on drug-trafficking charges.

A 2007 request for Bingham to be handed over to US authorities ended with him being released by the appeal court after his lawyers insisted that local prosecutors had abused the extradition process.

[jamaica_dreamin]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

Authorities in Jamaica have the right to do what they see fit.

But, Uncle Sam may find ways to punish them.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

It is all about politics.
The Jamaican government is only doing that, to force the US to supply the info they requested. After that they will send him.
And they will do the same with the real target.
They just can't send their most powerful political enforcer to sure prison in the US.
It will undermine their ability to recruit other enforcers.
And political enforcers are the life-blood of Jamaican politics. without them people will be able to vote their conscience to a greater extent.
instead of voting under fear of death, for political parties enforced by these Dons.
It will force them to develop new methods of control of the voters.
And that is bad, real bad for the real power weilders.

[Panajar]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

Dem laying the foundation to trick the Jamaican people ,they dont want to be accuse of favoritism, when dem refuse fe extradite the <span style="font-weight: bold">president</span> .The jlp will sey see,we did not extradite diss other man too.The whole Jamaica is going to suffer the warth of unkle sam ,just because the jlp want to save the president ,him must know a whole lot of secrets.

[Wahalla]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

And the know names of big time jugglers are thankfully never mentioned !

[Tuff Gong]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Panajar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dem laying the foundation to trick the Jamaican people ,they dont want to be accuse of favoritism, when dem refuse fe extradite the <span style="font-weight: bold">president</span> .The jlp will sey see,we did not extradite diss other man too.The whole Jamaica is going to suffer the warth of unkle sam ,just because the jlp want to save the president ,him must know a whole lot of secrets. </div></div>

LOL the Comrades are wishing for the USA to strike Jamaica what a thing. Mrs Dorothy lightbourne cannot be rolled neither by the JLP, the USA or Comrades. You are all seeing that for yourselves.

[Panajar]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
LOL the Comrades are wishing for the USA to strike Jamaica what a thing. Mrs Dorothy lightbourne cannot be rolled neither by the JLP, the USA or Comrades. You are all seeing that for yourselves. </div></div>

You are correct, the senor citizen ,cannot be 'rolled&quot; by pnp, jlp or the USA ,only ting scared her is fear of retribution from<span style="font-weight: bold"> shortman</span> and his flunkies.The senior know if she sign it, she have to rent 100 acre a land from john crow. dam shame when the country is hold hostage by thugs.No wonda the Lebanese guy carry him name go a station.

[Dyoll_73]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

Why is this &quot;<span style="font-weight: bold">a major decision which has shaken the foundation of the legal fraterntity (sic)</span>&quot; if <span style="font-weight: bold">&quot;his ('Presser's')legal team was successful in convincing the Minister that there was no basis for the extradition&quot;</span> and if <span style="font-weight: bold">&quot;the Minister exercised her power in accordance with the Extradition Act&quot;</span>?

Are all extradition requests to be automatically granted? Who wrote this article? How did that first line in the article escape the editors.

[Panajar]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

<span style="font-size: 17pt">US government very disappointed - Embassy convinced Bingham request was right</span>


DESPITE A public statement on the reason the Jamaican Government has denied an extradition request from St James businessman, Presley Bingham, the United States (US) Government is still waiting on answers.

While the US awaits the extradition of three more Jamaicans whose cases are partially completed in the courts, Isiah Parnell, charge d'affaires, US Embassy, Kingston, said his government wanted to know why the Bruce Golding-led administra-tion had denied the request.

Awaiting explanation

More than 10 persons were extradited last year and, currently, there are two cases that have been before the courts over the past two years. Between 1994 and 2002 a total of 38 persons were extradited to the US.

&quot;We remain convinced that the extradition was prepared and submitted in accordance with the terms of the Treaty and hope to get a full explanation for the refusal of the extradition request over the next few days,&quot; said Parnell.

In an email, the charge d'affaires dis-closed that the US Embassy was very disappointed that the Government of Jamaica had denied its govern-ment's request to extradite and try Bingham on what were very serious drug charges.

Lightbourne's defence

He said his government had a long history of working successfully and cooperatively with the Jamaican Government on extradition matters because it served the interest of both countries.

But a release sent on the weekend by Minister of Justice, Dorothy Lightbourne, defended her decision.

According to the release, the extradition was denied because the request related to charges he had been to courts about before.

A previous extradition request for Bingham had taken longer than was legally allowable and he was freed by the Court of Appeal.

The court had said verbally that the US should not seek to rearrest Bingham on the same charges, a fact the justice minister said, in the release, was important.

Bingham was arrested on July 12, 2009, on a renewed request by the United States for the same offence and based on the same indictment.

LINK

<span style="font-weight: bold">The old Chinese curse ,may you live in interesting times..interesting times in deed wait and see nu spoil no dance..</span>

[Tuff Gong]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Panajar</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
LOL the Comrades are wishing for the USA to strike Jamaica what a thing. Mrs Dorothy lightbourne cannot be rolled neither by the JLP, the USA or Comrades. You are all seeing that for yourselves. </div></div>

You are correct, the senor citizen ,cannot be 'rolled&quot; by pnp, jlp or the USA ,only ting scared her is fear of retribution from<span style="font-weight: bold"> shortman</span> and his flunkies.The senior know if she sign it, she have to rent 100 acre a land from john crow. dam shame when the country is hold hostage by thugs.No wonda the Lebanese guy carry him name go a station. </div></div>

LOL <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">badmine</span> gwine kill yu.....look how long Eddie Blinds out of politcs and you still fighting windmills!
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Keep fighting!</span>

[evanovitch]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

u know mi ask di poster fi tell mi how Blinds supposedly sheg up couple people career n mi wonda if a ignore dem a ignore mi r wat....mi really wanted to hear di version given dat so many tings r attributed to him

maybe u can get him to ansa u TG and get di info fi me

[Tuff Gong]

Re: JA denies a US extradition request

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">u know mi ask di poster fi tell mi how Blinds supposedly sheg up couple people career n mi wonda if a ignore dem a ignore mi r wat....mi really wanted to hear di version given dat so many tings r attributed to him

maybe u can get him to ansa u TG and get di info fi me </div></div>

LOL im neva quite ansa when mi ask needah but if yu noticed all the persons he mentioned had Black Skin. Judging by his history the assumption is they were black and next in line for leadership and somehow Eddie cut them out....sans all proof of course but there you have it!