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Witness Protection for Deadbeat Witnesses

By Joe Consumer

One of the most sordid episodes of murder, assassination and human rights violations in modern history is reaching a fascinating point in U.S. courts.  For those who recall the details of the brutal Pinochet regime in Chile, which came to power on September 11, 1973 during a military coup supported by the U.S., you may recall the tragic 1976 assassination of Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier (along with Ronni Moffitt) in Washington DC by the CIA and Chilean intelligence. (See a great discussion of this with one of Orlando?s sons, the incredibly talented artist Francisco, whose work is pictured here.)

A CIA agent named Michael Townley was convicted of this and went to jail. And then he went into witness protection.  He hasn?t been heard or seen since. 

Meanwhile, Townley was convicted of another Chilean murder ? the torture and death of Carmelo Soria Espinoza.  His widow sued Townley and was awarded a $7.3 million in November 2005.  Townley may have money to pay at least some of this judgment, who knows?  But right now, he?s still hiding.  For him to be compelled to pay, the Justice Department needs to say that a court-appointed guardian is needed.  But Justice won?t do that, saying it would increase the risk that after all these years, someone might find this guy.  (If you have a subscription, you can read the National Law Journal article about it.)

Meanwhile, the head of the Witness Security Program says Townley could pay $75 a week.  Soria?s family lawyers called that an ?insult.?  As human rights attorney Lynne Bernabei put it in the National Law Journal,

The real question is how far the government will go to protect people who are worldwide assassins.  It doesn't make any sense to me that, after all these years, the government is protecting a man from paying money to his victims.

Seems like a good question.

Full post as published by ThePopTort on January 25, 2010 (boomark / email).