As we reported earlier, Aruba is following the news of Joran van der Sloot's extradition process from Peru to the US. Van der Sloot is the main suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. Today's article in the Aruban Papiamentu-language daily, Diario, is translated by Fousesquawk.
Joran van der Sloot's lawyer fears America will bring additional charges
May 15, 2023
Lima: After the extradition to America of a Dutch citizen, Joran van der Sloot (36), was approved without there being a court hearing, his Peruvian lawyer fears that prosecutors in America are thinking of adding additional charges.
In Peru, attorney Maximo Altez told the press yesterday that he has no confidence in the American judicial system. This is the lawyer who was the one who defended him in the criminal trial for the murder of Stephany Flores in a hotel room in 2010 and who (Van der Sloot) fled to Chile. Van der Sloot is also a principal suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba in 2005. For the murder of Stephany Flores, he received a sentence of 28 years in prison from the court in Lima in 2012.
According to attorney Altez, he senses that America will want to add additional charges of homicide on top of those already existing for extortion and wire fraud. The lawyer complained on the weekend that he still has not been able to talk to his client, in spite of the unexpected news of his extradition underway.
"We are not fighting for the innocence of Joran, we are fighting that they respect his rights," said attorney Altez, and for that, he is asking that he (Van der Sloot) get his day in court in Peru to defend himself.
America requested the extradition of Joran, originally, not for the murder of Holloway, but rather on charges he tried to extort the mother in the sum of $250,000. For that, according to attorney Altez, they are not seeking justice, rather they are seeking vengeance.
Last Tuesday, the government of Peru approved extradition. The arrangement will be temporary. After the court case in America related to the 2010 charge of extortion and wire fraud, Joran van der Sloot will be sent back to Peru to complete his sentence for the murder of Stephany Flores and a separate charge of drug trafficking in prison. Currently, his release is scheduled for June 2038.
If convicted in America, he will be sentenced to a federal prison. If Joran plans to fight extradition, his attorney, Altez will file a petition of "habeas corpus" to oppose this.
This will temporarily freeze the extradition. The attorney knows this will be a very high hill to climb to win the battle. And he also believes that right now, in a way, Joran is being tried in the press.
Meanwhile, there is information that Joran van der Sloot is seeking a divorce from Leidy Figueroa, whom he married while incarcerated in the prison. When they married, Leidy Figueroa was 7 months pregnant.
Now the woman is (tired) since she learned that Joran was trafficking drugs in prison, with the help of another couple. Yet another headache for Joran these days.
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