Pubdate: Mon, 3 Oct 2005
Source: Jamaica Observer (Jamaica)
Contact:  2005 The Jamaica Observer Ltd
Website: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1127
Author: Erica Virtue, Observer Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Jamaica
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/extradition

EXTRADITIONS TO BE REMOVED FROM RMs

Plan for High Court Hearings

The government is to remove extradition hearings from magistrates and 
place them in the hands of High Court judges in a radical procedural 
change which the authorities say is aimed at speeding up cases and 
protecting witnesses.

But the plan, which the Jamaica Bar Association is yet to be apprised 
of, has sent up red flags among local attorneys who argue the complex 
cases. Some say they would want assurances that the proposed changes 
won't abrogate the rights of accused persons.

"I hope they are not suggesting that they are going to take one level 
of hearing out by totally getting rid of the first level of hearing," 
said defence attorney Kathryn Phipps, referring to the preliminary 
extradition hearings heard by the RM courts.

Attorney-General and Justice Minister A J Nicholson told the Observer 
that he wants to make extradition cases matters solely for the 
Supreme Court, saying the move was also tied to plans to legislate 
court testimony by closed circuit television. The end goal is to 
speed up such hearings. Bar president Arlene Harrison-Henry said she 
had no knowledge of the plan and could not comment.

The proposal is one of several being considered by the justice 
ministry, and was informed by several concerns, among them the need 
for greater security for individuals giving testimony, and also 
security for judges in high-profile extradition cases.

The more recent hearings have included accused money launderers and 
drug dealers, whose alleged networks or involvement with narco-rings 
are said to stretch separately into North and South America and the 
United Kingdom.

Nicholson told the Observer that he did not wish to speak any further 
on the Extradition Treaty at this time, because of matters now before 
the courts.

But his consultant and noted expert on international law, Stephen 
Vasciannie, backed the proposal to amend jurisdiction, saying the 
move made sense.

"What is being contemplated is a change in which cases concerning 
extradition will be submitted to the High Court instead of the 
Resident Magistrate's Courts," said Vasciannie, who is also a 
University of the West Indies professor. "This will not lead to any 
changes in the substantive rights of persons for whom extradition 
requests have been made.

"In the Jamaican system, the High Court is a court of unlimited 
jurisdiction, which can hear matters such as extradition. For these 
purposes, the RM courts have the same jurisdiction, so you are just 
moving from an RM judge to a High Court judge."

But, as one defence attorney pointed out, the RM's role was to 
determine whether a prima facie case existed for an extradition order 
to be made. Essentially, the hearings are equivalent to a preliminary 
hearing, he said, querying "whether preliminary inquiries will be 
abolished for extraditions, as well as for murders as in the current Bill".

"Is the minister now saying that the commencement of extradition 
matters will now go before the Supreme Court judge?"

The answer is yes, according to Vasciannie, who told the Observer 
that the contemplated amendment boils down to a change in the 
starting point for the cases.

The Bill currently before Parliament seeking to abolish preliminary 
hearings makes no reference, however, to extradition matters.

Phipps says the process for extraditions currently includes a 
Magisterial hearing, then a Full Court hearing and then the issue 
goes to the Court of Appeal.

Kathryn Phipps and her father, Frank Phipps QC are representing 
individuals in detention on extradition requests from the United States.

"Will there be another tier at the High Court so that the person will 
have the same three opportunities as they had before?" she asked. "If 
so, then fine. I don't see anything wrong going to the Supreme Court 
if the subject is allowed three levels of hearings."

Asked about the perceived benefits of the move contemplated by 
Nicholson, Phipps said: "I would need to be persuaded why, because 
certainly in terms of time, I don't see why extradition should be 
given priority over any other case."

What the justice ministry should be contemplating, she said, was 
passing on the authority for such procedural decisions to the High 
Court, and removing it from the purview of the minister.

"If you want to make a change for the better, make a change like 
that," she suggested.

Under the extradition law, an accused who loses the fight to be 
extradited has the right of appeal to the Court of Appeal, which, for 
such matters, is the court of last resort. An attempt was made to 
nullify the 1995 amendment in the case of Dave Antonio Grant who took 
his case to the Privy Council and lost.

"The Privy Council said this rule was not unconstitutional, and that 
the government had the right to say the Appeal Court is the final 
court on extradition matters," Vasciannie said.

There is now another case in the High Court contesting the 
constitutionality of the extradition law.

Attorneys for Adrian Armstrong, a Montego Bay-based cambio dealer, 
who is wanted by the United States District Court in Puerto Rico for 
alleged money laundering and conspiracy, filed a constitutional 
motion in the Supreme Court in July, against the attorney-general and 
the director of public prosecutions (DPP).

Attorneys Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Jade Hollis are arguing that 
the Extradition Act violates sections of the constitution which say 
that the state cannot deprive a man of his liberty without just cause.

The lawyers also claim that the Extradition Act breaches Armstrong's 
right to a fair trial, liberty and freedom of movement.

The motion was scheduled to be heard last Friday. The continuation of 
Armstrong's extradition hearing in the Corporate Area Resident 
Magistrate's Court was postponed September 16 to allow the Supreme 
Court to hear the motion.

Vasciannie, linking these developments to Nicholson's plan, said 
starting the extradition hearings in the High Court would allow for 
constitutional motions to be heard in that court at the same time.

In the meantime, the justice ministry is said to be keen on making 
sure that there are no more blunders under the 'Rule of Speciality', 
which stipulates that the candidate for extradition cannot be tried 
for any other offence, other than what he was extradited for.

Jamaican Richard 'Storyteller' Morrison was extradited to the United 
States, but his case gained notoriety after a blunder was discovered.

Court records indicate that Morrison had appealed the decision for 
his extradition. But a series of administrative bunglings between the 
attorney who handled the appeal, and the Supreme Court clerk who 
accepted the notice resulted in no one knowing that an appeal had been filed.

The notice was filed under the wrong heading and placed in the wrong 
file. The then justice minister K D Knight signed the extradition 
order, and when the error was discovered, Morrison was already in the 
United States.

Nicholson now insists that: "Each extradition case will continue to 
be considered on its merits, and each case will continue to be 
subject to the safeguards contemplated in Jamaican law."

Several Jamaicans and at least one foreigner remain in detention on 
extradition warrants, on requests from the United States.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake