Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03TEGUCIGALPA2824
2003-12-02 22:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS

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UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002824 

SIPDIS

PASS TO DOJ - GREGORY STEVENS
DEPT FOR: L/LEI, DOJ/OIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CJAN KCRM CASC HO MR MORRIS ARNOLD FREDERICK
SUBJECT: EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS

REF: TEGUCIGALPA 01608

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002824

SIPDIS

PASS TO DOJ - GREGORY STEVENS
DEPT FOR: L/LEI, DOJ/OIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CJAN KCRM CASC HO MR MORRIS ARNOLD FREDERICK
SUBJECT: EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS

REF: TEGUCIGALPA 01608


1. SUMMARY: ARNOLD FREDERICK MORRIS HAS AN OUTSTANDING
ARREST WARRANT IN THE U.S. FOR CONSPIRACY, ILLEGAL
CONCEALMENT OF ASSETS, MAKING FRAUDULENT AND FALSE
STATEMENTS, AND CONSPIRACY TO LAUNDER MONEY. ON MARCH
18, 1992, MR. MORRIS FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINED HONDURAN
CITIZENSHIP BY CONCEALING HIS U.S. CRIMINAL HISTORY IN
AN EFFORT TO AVOID EXTRADITION, SINCE THE HONDURAN
CONSTITUTION FORBIDS EXTRADITION OF HONDURAN
NATIONALS. NEVERTHELESS, ON MARCH 7, 1995, THE USG
OFFICIALLY REQUESTED THE EXTRADITION OF ARNOLD
FREDERICK MORRIS. ON AUGUST 16, 1996, THE HONDURAN
ATTORNEY GENERAL REQUESTED REVOCATION OF MR. MORRIS'
HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, MORRIS APPEALED
THIS DECISION THROUGH THE HONDURAN COURT SYSTEM. END
SUMMARY.


2. IN A PREVIOUS REPORTING CABLE POST REPORTED THAT
THERE WERE THREE ACTIONS PENDING IN THE HONDURAN
COURTS WITH RESPECT TO MR. MORRIS' CASE:

- AN APPEAL FILED BY MR. MORRIS WITH THE SUPREME COURT
ON MARCH 25, 2002, ARGUING THAT THE REQUEST FOR THE
CANCELLATION OF HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP SHOULD HAVE
BEEN FILED BY THE SOLICITOR GENERAL AND NOT BY THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL.

- AN APPEAL FILED BY THE SOLICITOR GENERAL ON NOVEMBER
29, 2002, WITH THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE COURT OBJECTING THE RULING OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA. THE SAN PEDRO
SULA COURT HAD SUSPENDED THE CANCELLATION OF HIS
NATIONALITY WHILE ITS ACQUISITION WAS BEING
CHALLENGED.

- AN APPEAL FILED BY MR. MORRIS ON MARCH 5, 2003, FOR
INTERIM EQUITABLE RELIEF IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE
EXECUTION OF THE RULING RENDERED BY ADMINISTRATIVE
COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA ON OCTOBER 24, 2002, AND
REJECTED BY THE SOLICITOR GENERAL ON JUNE 9, 2003.


3. On November 18, 2003 Post sent a request for a
status report to the Ministry of Government and
Justice. On November 28, 2003, Post received a
response through Official Note number 1456-DSG0 dated
November 25, 2003, stating the following:

- Regarding the November 29, 2002 appeal filed by the
Solicitor General with the Court of Appeals of the
Administrative Court (File number 160-2002),objecting
to the ruling of the Administrative Court in San Pedro
Sula, which suspended the cancellation of Mr. Mr.
Morris' Honduran nationality while the acquisition was
being challenged: the Ministry informed Post that the
Court of Appeals of the Administrative Court ordered
that a judicial communication be sent to the Circuit
County Court of Pinellas, Florida, requesting
information about the results of the sentence it
imposed for a minor offense involving violence (for
example, time served, parole, compliance with
conditions of parole, etc.).

- REGARDING THE SEPTEMBER 8, 2000, APPEAL FILED BY
MR. MORRIS WITH THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE COURT CONCERNING THE REPOSITION OF THE
RULING RENDERED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN
PEDRO SULA, CONCERNING THE SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE (013-
2000-SPS): THE MINISTRY INFORMED POST THAT ON OCTOBER
10, 2003, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT IN SAN PEDRO SULA
RULED IN FAVOR OF MR. MORRIS. HOWEVER, ON NOVEMBER 5,
2003, THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FILED AN APPEAL.

- THE MINISTRY'S RESPONSE DID NOT MENTION THE MARCH
25, 2002 SUPREME COURT APPEAL FILED BY MR. MORRIS,
WHICH ARGUED THAT THE REQUEST FOR THE CANCELLATION OF
HIS HONDURAN CITIZENSHIP SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILED BY THE
SOLICITOR GENERAL AND NOT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
(FILE NUMBER 650-02).


4. POST WILL CONTINUE TO ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CASE AS THEY ARISE.

PALMER