Convicted Marine handed to U.S.
A U.S. Marine sentenced to 40 years in prison for raping a Filipina has been transferred to American custody while his court appeal continues, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said.
Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, 21, has been in jail in the Philippine capital, Manila, since his Dec. 4 conviction.
However, his lawyers, the embassy and Philippine officials have all agreed that his detention violated a provision of the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement stating that any accused U.S. serviceman shall remain in U.S. custody until all judicial proceedings are exhausted.
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