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Justice In The International Extradition System, The Case Of George Wright And Beyond

Members

Hon. Christopher Smith

Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Hon. Benjamin Cardin

Co-Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Witnesses

R.J. Gallagher

Retired Special Agent

FBI

Jonathan Winer

Senior Director, APCO Worldwide

Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Law Enforcement

Ann Patterson

Daughter

Walter Patterson

This briefing discussed the case of George Wright.  In 1963, Wright was implicated in the robbery of a gas station, during which he fatally beat and shot a man named Walter Patterson (a veteran of World War II and a Bronze Star recipient). Wright was sentenced to prison, but escaped to Algeria in the middle of his stay at Leesburg State Prison.

41 years later, Wright was discovered in Portugal. In spite of the U.S.’s and Portugal’s firm commitment regarding extradition, a court in Portugal inexplicably refused to extradite Wright. This hearing’s goal was to scrutinize what transpired in this case and what could be achieved in order to bring Wright to justice, raising the broader question about the international extradition system.

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Hearings

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Publications

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Publications

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Press Releases

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Press Releases

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