New Mexico ex rel. Ortiz v. Reed, 524 U.S. 151 (1998) (per curiam)

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OCTOBER TERM, 1997

Per Curiam

NEW MEXICO ex rel. ORTIZ v. REED

on petition for writ of certiorari to the supreme court of new mexico

No. 97-1217. Decided June 8, 1998

After Ohio officials told respondent they planned to revoke his parole, he fled to New Mexico. That State's Governor issued an extradition warrant, and respondent was arrested. A New Mexico trial court granted him habeas relief on his claim that he was not a "fugitive" for extradition purposes because he fled under duress, believing that Ohio authorities intended to revoke his parole without due process and to cause him physical harm if he were returned to prison. The State Supreme Court affirmed.

Held: The Extradition Clause imposes a mandatory duty on the asylum

State, affording no discretion to its executive officers or courts. Once a Governor has granted extradition, a court considering release on habeas can decide only whether (a) the documents on their face are in order; (b) the petitioner has been charged with a crime in the demanding State; (c) the petitioner is the person named in the extradition request; and (d) the petitioner is a fugitive. Michigan v. Doran, 439 U. S. 282, 289. Claims relating to what actually happened in the demanding State, the law of that State, and what may be expected to happen in that State when the fugitive returns are issues to be decided by the demanding State, not the asylum State. See Pacileo v. Walker, 449 U. S. 86, 88 (per curiam).

Certiorari granted; 124 N. M. 129, 947 P. 2d 86, reversed and remanded.

Per Curiam.

Respondent, sentenced to a term of 25 years upon conviction of armed robbery and theft of drugs, was paroled from the Ohio correctional system in 1992. In the following year Ohio prison officials told respondent they planned to revoke his parole status. Before the scheduled date of his meeting with his parole officer, respondent fled from Ohio to New Mexico.

Ohio sought extradition and the Governor of New Mexico issued a warrant directing the extradition of respondent. He was arrested in October 1994, and later that year sought

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