Child kidnap and murder plot suspects lose appeal against extradition from Scotland to US
dailyrecord.co.ukThree Americans who are facing trial for allegedly conspiring to kidnap children and murder their parents in "extraordinary" crimes in their homeland have lost an appeal against their extradition from Scotland.
Jennifer Amnott, Valerie Hayes and Gary Reburn are accused of conspiring to kidnap children and kill witnesses in a case which could result in life sentences being imposed.
In their fight against being sent back to the US for trial they claimed that a potential mandatory life sentence without parole for a lesser crime than murder amounted to a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) under an article preventing inhumane and degrading treatment.It was argued that it was a grossly disproportionate punishment which was not capable of being reduced after its imposition.The trio lost a legal battle at Edinburgh Sheriff Court over the move to return them to Virginia to stand trial after their flight to Scotland but appealed the decision to three judges at the High Court.Scotland's most senior judge, the Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway, said: "The crimes, which the appellants have allegedly committed, are extraordinary."All of the appellants are citizens of the United States of America.
Mrs Amnott and her husband met Mrs Hayes in 2015. Mr Reburn was Mrs Hayes' then boyfriend. The Amnotts were desperate to start a family."Mrs Hayes said that she had three children who had been 'captured' and were in the custody of two families in West Virginia.
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