Extradition from France to the United States - Hans Peterson Update

The U.S. State Department has now joined forces with Illinois Senators Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and David Durbin (D-Ill.) in seeking to convince the French government to allow Hans Peterson, the suspected killer of Chicago-area dermatologist Dr. David Cornbleet, to be extradited back to the United States^[1] As we reported earlier this week, Obama and Durbin elicited the aid of Condoleeza Rice and the State Department after French officials refused the senators’ request to reconsider their decision to deny Peterson’s extradition from St. Martin.

State Department spokesman Jeffrey Bergner argued in his statement that the situation is inequitable, and points to the fact that France extradites its citizens to the European Union but not to the U.S^[2] As of yet, French officials have made no further comment on the matter.

Hopes of seeing Peterson tried in a U.S. court have grown dim in recent weeks.^[3] Senator Durbin, after a meeting with French Ambassador Pierre Vimont, expressed concern that French government is unlikely to reverse their position on Peterson’s extradition.^[4] Durbin suggested that parties involved should start to consider the ramifications of Peterson being tried in a French court of law.^[5]

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[1] U.S. State Department asks for extradition in dermatologist death, Associated Press Newswire, Sept. 19, 2007, available at LEXIS, News Library, Wire News Services File. [hereinafter Reuters]
[2] Id.
[3] Durbin Not Optimistic On Cornbleet Suspect Return, CBS News, Sept. 7, 2007.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.