http://www.marinij.com/sausalito/ci_19914851
A five-time killer on death row at San Quentin can be extradited to New York state to stand trial in two other murder cases, a Marin judge ruled Tuesday.
Rodney Alcala, 68, was indicted in New York last year in the strangling deaths of two women in the 1970s. Prosecutors sought charges based on renewed investigations, technological advances and information derived from Alcala's trial in California.
Alcala, whose extradition lawyers are Marin public defenders David Brown and Peter Arian, fought the extradition request, saying he needs to be here to prepare his death penalty appeal. New York has no death penalty, the defense attorneys noted.
"Our goal is to protect his right to a meaningful appeal of his California death sentence," Brown and Arian said in a statement. "He cannot effectively fight against the death penalty in California if he is taken to New York at this time. Despite today's ruling, this is a significant constitutional issue that we plan to litigate in the appellate courts."
Judge Paul Haakenson, who ruled that Alcala can be extradited, stayed the ruling to give Alcala time to appeal it. The judge gave Alcala until March 9 to file his appeal, with extradition tentatively set for April 6 unless a higher court intervenes.