Legal Commentary

Joran Van der Sloot Transferred to Miguel Castro Castro Prison

By Jeralyn

Joran Van der Sloot has been transferred to Miguel Castro Castro maximum security prison. (Google translation here.)

Our post on the problems at Miguel Castro Castro prison is here. His lawyer calls it "Dante's Inferno." Pervian authorities say he will be segregated from other prisoners.

Peruvian prisons have very high rates of tuberculosis.

Who else is at Castro Castro, besides murderers? [More...]

Conveniently, a large number of prisoners at Castro-Castro are from outside Peru (16 different countries to be exact) and many have been incarcerated on dubious “narcoterrorism” charges (dubious not to their individual innocence or guilt, but as to the specificity of the charges against each. Narcoterrorism is Peru’s version of the Patriot Act, complete with loopholes to hold prisoners indefinitely without a trial).

Joran will have his own cell near the prison director's office:

At Castro Castro prison, Van der Sloot was fed the Peruvian chicken dish "seco de pollo," prisons director Ruben Rodriguez said. The Dutchman will have his own cell in a small block near the director's office.

The only other two prisoners on the block are a reputed Colombian hit man charged with strangling a Peruvian socialite and a provincial mayor charged with laundering drug money

It looks like he's facing a minimum of 15 years. With good time, does that amount to 7.5? Can he last that long in a Peruvian jail?

The prison does have a soccer team that plays teams of inmates from other South American prisons. They even call it a World Cup.

I still think a plea deal with Aruba is possible. I hope his lawyer is able to negotiate one. Peru's attorney general said today:

Aruban officials will decide whether to sent investigators to Peru to question him once they learn exactly what he is offering.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 11, 2010 (boomark / email).