UNITED STATES: ITALIAN WOMEN LEAVES NEW YORK PRISON TO SERVE REST OF HER 25-YEAR SENTENCE IN ITALY

Record ID: 336931

  • Title: UNITED STATES: ITALIAN WOMEN LEAVES NEW YORK PRISON TO SERVE REST OF HER 25-YEAR SENTENCE IN ITALY
  • Date: 24th August 1999
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, USA (AUGUST 24, 1999) (RTN-ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN DOWN METROPOLITAN CORRECTION CENTER 0.09 2. MV POLICE AND U.S. MARSHALLS 0.16 3. MV SUPPORTERS, FRIENDS AND ONLOOKERS 0.23 4. SCU CAMERA OPERATOR 0.28 5. MV BANNER HELD BY FRIENDS OF BARALDINI 0.36 6. SV U.S. MARSHALL 0.40 7. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARA
  • Embargoed: 8th September 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA3FZDFRQX2NJE2Y6R756GBHL0L
  • Story Text: An Italian woman serving prison time in the United
    States has begun the journey home to Italy to complete her
    25-year sentence.

    Fifty-one year old Silvia Baraldini left New York City in a
    prison van on Tuesday (August 24) on her way to an airport to
    be flown out on an Italian military plane.

    The unmarked van that left a U.S.Courthouse in New
    York City Tuesday (August 24) carried Silvia Baraldini to a
    plane that would return her to her native Italy, where she
    will complete her prison sentence that ends in the year 2008.

    Baraldini served 16 years in U.S.prisons for
    participating in the activities of a violent radical group.

    She was convicted under the U.S.federal racketeering statute
    in 1983 for participating in the revolutionary group called
    "the Family" that committed a series of armed robberies of
    armoured trucks in the early 1980s.During the robberies two
    guards and two New York City police officers were killed.

    She was also convicted for her participation in the 1979
    prison breakout of Black Liberation Army leader Joanne
    Chesimard who was serving a life term for killing a state
    trooper.

    The prison transfer agreement reached in June between the
    U.S.and Italy is the final chapter of years of discussion
    between the governments over where Baraldini should serve her
    sentence.The Italian government had repeatedly petitioned the
    United States under a treaty that lets convicts jailed abroad
    serve their terms at home.

    The United States had refused such attempts since 1989
    citing the seriousness of Baraldini's convictions and the lack
    of a guarantee that she would be forced to serve the remainder
    of her sentence.

    Supporters have argued that Baraldini is a political
    prisoner who is being treated harshly because of her
    anti-government beliefs."She's being treated differently
    along with many others because of the liberation movements
    with which she was affiliated.I think conspiracy is a very
    dangerous type of sentence," said Toby Emor a friend and long
    time supporter of Baraldini.

    In 1990, Baraldini was one of three women who were the
    subject of a documentary about their alleged torture in a
    Kentucky prison.

    Friends have maintained an active web site that includes
    news about her case and a letter writing campaign.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register