Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROLINE CASAGRANDE
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Portugal to extradite George Wright to U.S.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution urging Portugal to extradite George Wright to the United States.
Whereas, George Wright was convicted of the 1962 murder of Walter Patterson, a World War II veteran, during an armed robbery of a gas station in Wall Township, New Jersey and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison; and
Whereas, On the night of November 23, 1962, Walter Patterson was working at a gas station, making a living to provide for his wife and two young children, when George Wright, along with three other individuals, shot and killed Walter Patterson while robbing the gas station; and
Whereas, After being convicted of murder, George Wright served seven years of his 15 to 30 year prison sentence before escaping from prison in 1970; and
Whereas, Two years after escaping from prison, George Wright, while dressed as a priest, helped highjack a flight from Detroit to Miami, demanded that the plane be flown to Algeria and demanded one million dollars in ransom, while holding a gun to a flight attendant's head; and
Whereas, On September 28, 2011, George Wright was captured in Portugal, where he has lived for 15 years with a wife and two children, after a United States government task force matched his fingerprint from the 1962 murder to a fingerprint on his Portuguese identity card issued to him under a fake name; and
Whereas, The United States Department of Justice requested that Portugal extradite George Wright to serve the rest of his 15 to 30 year jail sentence for the murder of Walter Patterson, however a Portuguese court denied the request on the basis that George Wright is a Portuguese citizen and the statute of limitations on the murder has expired; and
Whereas, An appeal was filed by the United States Department of Justice, which was denied by Portugal's Supreme Court and therefore Portugal has refused to extradite George Wright; and
Whereas, George Wright, a convicted murderer of a World War II veteran and escaped prisoner, will not be brought to justice unless he is extradited to the United States to serve the remainder of his 15 to 30 year prison sentence for the murder of Walter Patterson; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Governor and the Legislature of this State urge Portugal to extradite George Wright to the United States.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this joint resolution shall be transmitted to the United States Ambassador to Portugal and the Secretary of State of the United States.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The Governor and the Legislature urge Portugal to extradite George Wright to the United States. On November 23, 1962, Walter Patterson, a World War II veteran, was working at a gas station in Wall Township, New Jersey when George Wright, along with three other individuals, shot and killed him while robbing the gas station.
George Wright was convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. George Wright served seven years of his prison sentence before escaping from prison in 1970.
Two years after escaping from prison, George Wright helped highjack a flight from Detroit to Miami, demanded that the plane be flown to Algeria and demanded one million dollars in ransom.
George Wright was captured in Portugal on September 28, 2011, where he has lived for the past 15 years. A United States government task force matched his fingerprint from the 1962 murder to a fingerprint on his Portuguese identity card issued to him under a fake name.
The United States Department of Justice requested that Portugal extradite George Wright to serve the rest of his 15 to 30 year sentence, however the Portuguese court denied this request. The United States Department of Justice filed an appeal, which was denied by Portugal. Portugal has refused to extradite George Wright.
George Wright, a convicted murderer and escaped prisoner, will not be brought to justice unless he is extradited to the United States to serve the remainder of his prison sentence for the murder of Walter Patterson.