Haitian’s Extradition to U.S. Is Denied

Honduran Supreme Court Judge Marco Tulio Alvarado denied a U.S. request to extradite former Haitian police chief Lt. Col. Michel-Joseph Francois, who is accused of helping Colombian cartels ferry at least 33 tons of drugs into the United States. Alvarado said U.S. authorities had failed to provide credible evidence supporting the petition for extradition. Francois is wanted by a U.S. federal court in Miami on drug-related charges. Francois could be released from prison soon if the U.S. does not appeal the case to the Honduran Supreme Court. Washington said it will appeal.