Rhett Fuller’s attorney says he will fight extradition
This afternoon the attorney, friends and family of Rhett Fuller, the young Belizean businessman presently facing extradition charges to the Unites States for allegedly being involved in a murder over nine years ago in Miami, called a press conference. They wanted to state their dissatisfaction about the way the matter is being handled. Attorney Kirk Anderson says his client is being unfairly treated and that there was also an abuse of process on behalf of the U.S. authorities, who are seeking to extradite Fuller.
Kirk Anderson, Attorney
“My client Rhett Fuller has been detained pending procedures for extradition to the United States on a charge of capital murder or in other words, murder one as they say. He was detained, as I understand it, since yesterday and he is presently at the Hattieville Prison. My understanding also is that a further date has been set for the hearing of the extradition case and that date is November third, 1998.
Now, there are certain things as the lawyer for him, I intend to take up on his behalf. Now I am not going to really go into too much detail at this juncture as to regard to what those measures will be, but suffice to say, that Mr. Fuller has instructed me as of yesterday to take whatever legal measures may be necessary to fight his extradition to the United States and I guarantee you that will be done. We are obviously up against a difficult force to deal with in terms of the United States, specifically the state of Florida in the United States of America.
I can tell you this incident occurred, the incident in respect to which this whole matter has arisen, occurred approximately some nine years ago and it occurred in a situation whereby the authorities in Florida has always been aware of Mr. Fuller’s whereabouts. They were aware even before he decided to come to Belize, that he was coming here. They have been aware since he has been here that he is in fact here. In fact they have sent down Miami police officers on different occasions to speak to Mr. Fuller about this matter and he has always cooperated with them.
I fail to understand how it is that after nine years, knowing full well that this gentleman is here in this country, that the United States authorities, particularly the authorities of the state of Florida took no actions whatsoever to try and bring him to book in the United States if they felt they had, if they really felt they had a case against him. Why is it that they have waited until my client has successfully set up a business here, is well known in the Belizean community, has established himself? He is a serious, honest, hardworking fellow. Why is it that just now, they are going to take these measures against him?”
Anderson says Fuller can remain imprisoned until a hearing to request bail is granted. Anderson says a previous Supreme Court case decided that bail can be granted to persons in respect of home extradition being sought. He intends to file, probably by Monday, an application to the Supreme Court of Belize for bail for Rhett Fuller.
