Fascinating article, thanks for the insight into how we can't just do whatever we want with no consequences!

Great article, it was like reading an action thriller :) While I don't provide much sympathy for Mendoza, the US Justice Dept is shooting themselves in the foot due to lack of foresight (and wisdom?).

And Americans wonder why we aren't loved around the world. Actually, a lot of people say they like Americans but can't stand our government. And, importantly, don't trust it. I say I understand fully.

Our government can't be trusted: cooking the books on war-justifying intel, to extraordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation, to excessive remote drone striks, outrageous intrusions on privacy, disgusting preferential treatment of the big money.

The US Government is a captive institution, a captive of the oligarchy, the deep state, ushered back in to control starting in the late 1970's and accelerated by the Reagan Restoration and the successive disastrous Bush/DINO administrations up to the present day.

So for the sake of one non-violent dealer, the US has just granted future terrorists a safe zone from which extradition doesn't work? What a deal!

This article highlights the failed system that is our government but all I can think is that fella sure looks an awful lot like Tony Danza!

@4 - It's not just for one dealer. They're hoping that by twisting his arm and ignoring the Spanish government, they can get the names of everyone smuggling pot in the US and win that blasted war on drugs once and for all. Because the entire drug industry knows each other, and once you get rid of the smugglers, that's it, drug war complete.

And our international credibility and negotiation power is a small price to pay for finally doing away with drugs in the US.

@6

The children, you know.

@5 If the TV movie about the story changed the lead character's first name to "Tony", Danza would be all over that role.

I find it hard to summon up much sympathy, but as a general principle one should assume everyone in the prosecution is lying through their teeth every step of the way, not that you have many options.

I'm not really surprised by the US prosecutors. I mean, the guy has multiple convictions, gets convenient citizenship in another country just to avoid US jail, and then doesn't seem to cooperate on the deal? No wonder the prosecutor is pissed off and not sending him back.
It's not a good case to fuck up the extradition precedent over, but I don't think that the US attorney set out with that intention. If Mendoza had informed and cooperated then he'd probably be sitting in Spain right now.

BTW, Wasn't Mendoza the same name as McBain's arch criminal nemesis on the Simpsons?

@6, well, you know, drug war confiscations of assets (like cars and houses), which proceed whether there's ever a conviction or not, are a major source of funding for police agencies. So, you know, it's self-preservation. Cops need the money, so they take it, from pretty wherever they want, law or no law. Just like bank robbers do.

@10 "doesn't seem to cooperate on the deal"

Heh? Where do you get that from? Ratting people out was not part of any deal mentioned in this article.

Not too surprising that the signature of a US drug prosecutor on a contract is meaningless, malignant shits that they are.

Saw the headline, checked the byline: Brendan Kiley! I'ma gets me a good read here. Woot!

'Don't trust the US government,' is a lesson easily gleaned from history--a history which our leaders are continually adding to. Spain had to learn some time.

@12, The key word is "seemed". I'm just thinking of the prosecutor's perspective in why they'd not agree to honor Mendoza's wishes and the Spanish agreement. I'm not completely agreeing with it or even justifying it, just trying to figure out a reason that this would happen beyond "Don't trust the Feds!"

@11, Great article on forfeiture abuse: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/…

@15 Yes there must be a reason, we are dealing with very reasonable people here.

Mendoza's 'wishes' are not what they did not agree to honor. What they did not agree to honor is a signed extradition agreement. But hey if you're fighting a glorious crusade, righteously building your career on top of destroyed lives, certainly international law means absolutely nothing when you are well above US law already.

you lost me at broadmoor.

did you write this to get page hits?

@18: Would it be inappropriate to write a newspaper article for page hits? I'm fascinated by your implication.

Please link the documents referenced mr. Kiley. It's impossible to verify the self-interested statements issues by either side without seeing the actual agreement. Also, has there been an answer or motion to dismiss in the breach of contract lawsuit?

The US Attorney, Ms. Jenny Durkin, either has not read the US/Spain Extradition Treaty herself, or she is simply lying to us when she say, "the extradition treaty between the US and Spain does not allow Spain to demand or decide where one serves his sentence". I just looked the treaty up on-line, and its really quite short and simple composed of 11 or 12 articles. Article 3 is clear as to the "disrection" allowed on how either State chooses to extradite one of their nationals. Ms. Durkin ought to be ashamed as to how her offices is riskung this international treaty with Spain. Over what, a non violent weed dealer? Shame on her.

Here's another one -- http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/14/inen…

http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/02/14/inen…

Prowler @ 23,
Its ironic you mention the Aurea Vazquez Rijos attempted extradition out of Spain, as I just received an email from her Spanish attorney, Isaac Gomez Abad. They are definitely utilizing Mendoza's non-compliance as the heart of their Spanish/European Court appeals. Mr. Gomez Abad insists the Spanish Supreme Court cannot extradite Ms. Aurea Vazquez Rijos to the Unitef States, knowing that the US Embassy in Madrid gave written assurances which the US Attorneys Office out of Seattle refuses to respect. Things are getting heated in the Mendoza case as the Spanish Supreme Court will be making a major decision on the treaty between the two countries this September. Also its my understanding that the US Attorneys Office in Seattle has refused to answer Mendoza's civil suit against them. Hmmmm, I wonder why? Not much they can say against a written contract!

Something the United States Attorneys Office out of Seattle does not want us to know, Spain's Supreme Court just ruled unanimously (November 17, 2014), either return Mendoza to the Spanish authorities as was required in the Governments extradition decree, or experience severe consequences.

Could this be the same extradition decree that the US Attorneys Office in Seattle says "never included the condition of where Mendoza would serve his sentence"?

When do the lies stop with this US Attorneys Office in Seattle?