LOUISIANA EXTRADITION FAILS IN NEW YORK (Update)

(551) (29-September-2006)

Peter Dicks is a free man after governor refuses to sign extradition warrant

Ex-Sportingbet chairman Peter Dicks walked free from a New York court today (Friday) after New York governor George Pataki refused to sign a warrant for his extradition to Louisiana on alleged computer gambling charges.

Dicks's legal team is quoted as saying: "We gave the court sufficient reason to free him," adding that Dicks will return to London tomorrow and he "will have a party in New York tonight".

As far as is understood the Louisiana state authorities have kept their warrants active despite the refusal of New York to honour same.

Dicks' legal team will presumably continue the fight in that state to lift the state warrant on grounds of no offence committed by the accused.

Dicks was arrested at a New York airport on September 6 whilst traveling to a board meeting unrelated to his (then) position as chairman of the Sportingbet board. He was detained for two days on a sealed Louisiana state warrant which called for his extradition to that state before being released on bail. 

On Sept. 14 New York Governor George Pataki's office refused to honour the request to have Dicks extradited to the state of Louisiana. Dicks was allowed to return home to England but ordered to return to New York for a second extradition hearing on 28 September. He flew back to New York earlier this week only to see a further 24 hour postponement whilst legal argument was considered by the New York governor's office. His case was heard this (Friday) morning.