US Fugitives Find Haven in Canada

[loseyourname]

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Fred Gilliland laughed at the short arm of the U.S. law. He would never be brought to justice, he boasted this year to a frequent visitor to his waterfront condo. He had Canada to thank for that.

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Apparently, the appeals process is so drawn-out in the back-logged Canadian courts, that anyone with half a will can escape extradition for years, giving them time to continue to commit crimes while in Canada and then just leave when it's finally time for them to face the heat.

The reason given by the Canadian government is that they want to get it absolutely right. That just doesn't make any sense to me. These fugitives are people that the US is asking back for indictment; they aren't being sent straight to sentencing. Isn't it the job of the trial itself to get it right? If the person is being charged and he isn't guilty, in theory he'll be found not guilty. What's the big deal about sending a person who isn't guilty to trial? How on Earth can someone appeal an indictment?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

So far as I can tell these things generally turn out this way because of excessive bureaucracy, they don't care, and/or it's being done as a passive protest against the country requesting extradition.

 

[Skyhunter]

So far as I can tell these things generally turn out this way because of excessive bureaucracy, they don't care, and/or it's being done as a passive protest against the country requesting extradition.

My reading is that it is only done by those with enough money to hire lawyers to fight extradition. At least that is what the article states. There was no mention passive protest or massive bureaucracy.

Do you have another source?

It appears to me that the Canadian government does not just hand people when another country requests it. Not all countries have the same laws, so in order to protect the accused under Canadian law they have an extraordinary rendition process. They apply it equally it seems, by not showing favoritism to any country or group of countries.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

My reading is that it is only done by those with enough money to hire lawyers to fight extradition. At least that is what the article states. There was no mention passive protest or massive bureaucracy.
Do you have another source?
It appears to me that the Canadian government does not just hand people when another country requests it. Not all countries have the same laws, so in order to protect the accused under Canadian law they have an extraordinary rendition process. They apply it equally it seems, by not showing favoritism to any country or group of countries.

Honestly I didn't read the article but I know that CA has had trouble with Mexico not wanting to extradite prisoners who may get the death penalty and certain countries have harboured "criminals" refusing extradition to the US because they did not agree with the charges.

 

[Smurf]

They're not just going to give the US everyone they ask for.