(25 Apr 2001)
1. Pan from flag to court building
2. Mid view of court building
3. Mid view of McDonald surrounded by reporters
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brian McDonald, Public Defender:
"What he (the judge) just set up was May 4th for report by counsel, May 24th for the initial extradition hearing and June 8th for the final extradition hearing.
Q: So how do you see the whole time table working out, in terms of getting Mr Arce back to France ?
A: I have no idea at this point.
Q: Does this mean the state charges are dropped?
A: No it does not mean that at all. He is going to be transported back to the county department of corrections and the case is proceeding."
5. Mid view McDonald speaking to reporters
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brian McDonald, Public Defender:
"Q: Does he know about the DNA finding by the French authorities?
A: We’ve discussed that.
Q: And his reaction?
A: We have discussed that also.
Q: Can the Federal government extradite him before the hearing?
A: No, that’s what the extradition hearing is about."
7. Views of news conference
8. Pan from court sign to McDonald talking to reporters
9. Pan view McDonald leaving building
10. Various views of court sketches – showing Francisco Arce Montes and Judge Stephen Brown
11. Various of court sketches – showing Arce and McDonald
STORYLINE:
The chief suspect in the 1996 rape and murder of a British schoolgirl holidaying in France vowed on Wednesday to fight extradition to France.
Assistant Public Defender Brian McDonald, who represents Francisco Arce Montes on unrelated Florida state charges, told waiting reporters that his client will use every legal option available to prevent his extradition.
U-S Magistrate Judge Stephen Brown set three hearings for the Spaniard – one to determine who will represent him in federal court and two on France’s planned extradition request.
When asked if McDonald has discussed the 1996 suffocation of 13-year-old Caroline Dickinson at a French youth hostel with Arce, the lawyer said, "We’ve discussed everything."
He laughed when asked for details of their talks.
The suspect, Francisco Arce Montes, was arrested on a sex offense charge at a Miami Beach hostel in March.
French authorities issued a warrant for Arce this month, saying he was wanted for questioning in the killing of the 13-year-old British schoolgirl.
The U-S complaint says French forensic experts found that D-N-A samples from the girl’s attacker and Arce’s saliva, taken by Miami-Dade police, were identical.
According to the U-S complaint, France intends to seek Arce’s extradition, calling him a serial rapist who targeted victims staying at hostels in France and America.
Interpol reports cited by a federal prosecutor indicate Arce apparently has criminal records in Spain and Germany.
It also indicates he traveled to Argentina, Chile and Peru before flying to Miami as a tourist in February.
Arce, a native of Spain, refused to give blood or saliva samples under a federal court order issued earlier this month.
His criminal record includes a 5-and-a -half-year sentence in Germany for separate incidents of rape and sexual coercion. He also is a suspect in a 1997 rape in Spain.
If Arce fights extradition, France would have two months from its initial request to supply supporting paperwork, which would trigger a hearing before a federal magistrate.
Arce, who came to court in a red jump suit from the Miami-Dade County Jail, listened to a Spanish translation of his brief hearing through headphones.
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