Uncertainty about van der Sloots extradition to US:
Jan 11, 2012
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/16500148/uncertainty-about-van-der-sloots-extradition-to-us
He faces up to 30 years in a prison with a 15-year minimum, but his attorneys are asking for only five years. The ultimate sentence will be decided by a judge Friday.
So what are the chances van der Sloot ever ends up in Alabama to face charges he extorted money from Holloway's family in exchange for leading them to Natalee's body?
"We're really at the mercy of the Peruvian government," said former federal Judge John Carroll, Dean of Samford's Cumberland Law School. "International extradition is based on treaties, and we have a treaty that was signed in 1901."
Carroll says that 1901 treaty lists specific charges that would allow prosecutors to extradite van der Sloot and wire fraud isn't one of them, that could make it even more difficult to bring van der Sloot here.
"This goes through diplomatic channels, the state department has to be involved," Carroll said. "They could well say, come back and talk to us when he's served his five years. Now there could be some negotiations where they say, 'We'll let him come to the U.S.' I think the odds are good, eventually at some point. I think the problem is the Peruvian government, who has custody of him, we'll say, 'Look, come talk to us after his sentence is over.'"
