Bill Text: NJ SR44 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Expresses support for "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [SR44 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-SR44-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH PENNACCHIO
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Expresses support for "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution expressing support for the "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act."
Whereas, United States Representatives Chris Smith and Albio Sires introduced legislation, H.R. 2189, known as the "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act" to press for the return of fugitives who have committed crimes and fled to foreign countries; and
Whereas, The United States has an extradition agreement with the European Union and bilateral extradition treaties with more than 100 nations, including Portugal and Cuba; and
Whereas, Extradition is the formal surrender of a person by one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction for prosecution or punishment; and
Whereas, Refusal by other nations to extradite fugitives within their jurisdiction who committed crimes on United States soil impedes the judicial process and undermines the rule of law; and
Whereas, Walter Patterson, a World War II veteran, was killed by George Wright in 1962 at a Wall Township gas station which he co-owned; and
Whereas, George Wright escaped from Bayside State Prison and, as a member of the Black Liberation Army, hijacked a Delta Airlines plane and sought asylum in Algeria, and was discovered in Portugal in 2011; and
Whereas, During a routine stop for a broken tail light on the New Jersey Turnpike on the morning of May 2, 1973, Joanne Chesimard, otherwise known as Assata Shakur, participated in the murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster; and
Whereas, Joanne Chesimard escaped from prison shortly after her conviction for the murder of State Trooper Foerster and is believed to reside in Cuba, and a $2 million reward has been established for information leading to her capture; and
Whereas, Cuba and Portugal refuse to extradite these convicted criminals to the United States; and
Whereas, A number of other nations also have refused to extradite individuals, necessitating further examination of United States policies and efforts to secure extradition; and
Whereas, Because the refusals to extradite George Wright and Joanne Chesimard are emblematic of a number of such refusals from other nations, the policies and efforts of the United States to secure extradition and the extradition policies of countries from which the United States seeks extradition and rendition bear further examination; and
Whereas, Convicted criminals should not be allowed to live in freedom just because they choose to flee and reside in a country that refuses to extradite, and the mere passage of time should not excuse an offender from the commission of a senseless, horrendous crime; and
Whereas, The "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act" requires the President of the United States to submit a report to Congress on fugitives currently residing in other countries whose extradition has been sought; and
Whereas, The purpose of the act is to provide necessary information which will assist in the evaluation of and attempts to strengthen United States efforts to extradite fugitives; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper for this House to express support for this act to provide information necessary to evaluate and thereby strengthen our nation's efforts to extradite fugitives; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House expresses support for the "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act" which directs the President of the United States to submit a report to Congress on fugitives currently residing in other countries whose extradition has been requested.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution expresses support for the proposed federal "Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act" which directs President of the United States to submit a report to Congress on fugitives residing in other countries who the United States has attempted to extradite.
Specifically the proposed legislation requires a report to be submitted to the appropriate congressional committees which addresses the following:
(1) the number of fugitives, and others for whom the United States is seeking extradition or rendition, currently residing in other countries whose extradition is sought by the United States and a list of those countries;
(2) diplomatic and other efforts, if any, the United States has undertaken to secure the return of the fugitives;
(3) the average length of time these cases have been outstanding;
(4) the number of cases that have been resolved to the satisfaction of the United States;
(5) factors that have been barriers to the resolution of these cases; and
(6) the number of United States citizens whose extradition has been sought by other countries during the past five years, a list of those countries seeking extradition, and the outcomes of those requests.
The purpose of the act is to provide information necessary to evaluate and strengthen our nation's efforts to extradite fugitives.
The act is named for two New Jersey residents whose killers escaped from prison and who are now living abroad. New Jersey has a special interest in seeking justice for the murders of Walter Patterson and State Trooper Werner Foerster.
