Letter to the USA

Here is the text, compiled from the Deputy-Assistant to the Secretary of Justice, J.C. Keeney. Keeney answered for the US Administration to an application by Lamberto Dini, President of the Counsel of Ministers, for the transfer of Silvia Baraldini to Italy. This letter remained boxed up for a month in the drawer of the Prime Minister without an adequate response and without adequate public distribution.

"In regard to the application for transfer under the Convention of Strasbourg, the U.S. attaches a great importance to the gravity of the crimes of the prisoner and the impact upon the trust of public opinion for the American judicial system that a premature release of a truly violent prisoner would have in her country of origin and while in each case we consider the humanitarian issues, these considerations cannot by themselves determine the decision whether or not to grant a transfer.

It is certain that the Minister of Justice shares this perspective and that Italy is equally reluctant to transfer truly criminal persons, when doing so would offend the sensibilities of the people."