'Sex offender' extradition halted

At a High Court hearing on Wednesday in London, Sullivan’s lawyers said that their client would be willing to return to face trial in the United States if he is given assurance that he will not be subjected to ‘civil commitment’ proceedings. Civil commitment in the US means that the accused can be jailed indefinitely for as long as they’re considered a threat to society.

Ben Brandon, who is representing Sullivan, said, “Mr Sullivan says he will return to face trial in Minnesota but he is concerned about the prospect that, acquitted or convicted, he will be incarcerated for the rest of his natural life which is obviously a clear and flagrant breach of his human rights.”

Brandon added that the number of sex offenders found guilty and incarcerated has grown by 85 percent in Minnesota since 2003 when a prisoner who was released went on to rape and murder another woman.

“This process could happen even if he is not found guilty as it is a civil hearing,” said Brandon. “We say the statistics and evidence show there is the extreme likelihood that if committed this appellant will die in custody.”

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Americas-most-wanted-pedophile-Shawn-Sullivan-fights-extradition-from-Britain-to-US-149036645.html#ixzz1z5FOueI3

Involuntary commitment or civil commitment is a legal process through which an individual with symptoms of severe mental illness is court-ordered into treatment in a hospital (inpatient) or in the community (outpatient).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Involuntary_commitment#Germany

Article 5 – Right to liberty and security'

1. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law:

a. the lawful detention of a person after conviction by a competent court;
b. the lawful arrest or detention of a person for non-compliance with the lawful order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment of any obligation prescribed by law;
c. the lawful arrest or detention of a person effected for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority on reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence or when it is reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing an offence or fleeing after having done so;
d. the detention of a minor by lawful order for the purpose of educational supervision or his lawful detention for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority;
e. the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of the spreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind, alcoholics or drug addicts or vagrants;
f. the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent his effecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a person against whom action is being taken with a view to deportation or extradition.