Judge Throws Out U.S. Extradition Law

A federal judge blocked the government from shipping two Chicago men to Canada to face kidnapping charges Thursday, declaring the U.S. foreign extradition law unconstitutional after nearly 150 years.

U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth also wrote that he “trusts” the government would not extradite anyone under the current law. Perhaps 250 people await international extradition, according to court papers in the case.

The lawyer for the defendants said Lamberth’s decision is not binding on other extradition cases, but attorneys could ask judges to take it into account.

“This does not mean that a whole lot of people - drug dealers or murderers or rapists - are going to be released into the streets,” said attorney Gregory B. Craig. Instead, the government must change the law if it wants to extradite someone, he said.