Extradition Crisis for Student Richard ...
by Angela Roberts, gofundme.comOctober 10th 2012
Many people especially in the UK will have heard and read about 24yr old Sheffield Hallam University student Richard O’Dwyer’s fight against extradition to the USA on a charge of copyright infringement over a linking site he made (TVShack.net) even though he has not been to America since he was 5 years old!
His mum Julia describes this as “The Fight of Our Lives” Richard if convicted in a US court could find himself in a Federal prison for up to 10 years and subject to a $250,000 fine. Though Richard and Julia are fighting against this disproportionate extradition and with no help from the British government who have rubber stamped Richard’s extradition, in reality hardly any British citizens have successfully fought extradition to the USA. You can find out more about Richard's situation by following Julia on twitter @jrodwyer and have a look on her blog http://juliasblog-the-fight-of-our-lives.blogspot.co.uk/
Everything is stacked against Richard even though he has yet to have his appeal. Julia needs to plan for the worst in case Richard is extradited to the USA. Fighting extradition has been costly so far even though Richard’s legal costs have been funded by legal aid in the UK.
On the other side of the world in the USA the potential costs could be astronomical if similar prosecutions are anything to go by. Offers have been made to cover legal costs for Richard and several lawyers have pledged pro - bono assistance. It is the unexpected costs the family are worried about, in particular any costs to help prevent Richard having to go to prison in the USA so this is why I am starting this fund. Richard’s mum is an old nursing friend of mine, we only got back in touch when I heard about Richard’s plight. I have a son Richard’s age and it is terrifying to think that something like this could happen and this case shows it could happen to anyone who could unwittingly fall foul of US laws. Extradition is meant for fugitives from serious crimes not for British citizens who have never even set foot in America. Please help me raise support for Richard and his mum- every little helps
Angela x
Original Page: http://www.gofundme.com/1bo8vo
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