France playing by own rules on murder suspect's extradition

The French have given us some nice things over the years.

Pressed coffee, formal shirt cuffs and a city to liberate during World War II are among them. And who can forget that great gift, the Statue of Liberty, that the French gave us in 1886 to symbolize freedom from oppression and tyranny?

But they won't give us Hans Peterson.

Mr. Peterson is the American man who allegedly murdered Chicago dermatologist Dr. David Cornbleet, 64, according to charges filed by Cook County prosecutors. They say Peterson stabbed Dr. Cornbleet to death last October in the specialist's Michigan Avenue office.

Prosecutors say Peterson, 29, killed him because he thought some acne medication the doctor prescribed had made him impotent, said Cornbleet's son, Jon, who lives in Naperville.

The beloved doctor, a Lincolnwood resident, had been tortured, stabbed at least 20 times and left to die according to investigators, before he was found by concerned loved ones.

The suspect, who is seen on surveillance cameras coming and going from the Gold Coast building at the time of the attack, fled the U.S. for the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean, according to police.

He surrendered and reportedly confessed earlier this month to French authorities, who run half of the island. Of course, Cornbleet's family in Naperville, the Chicago police, Cook County prosecutors and others who believe in the things that Lady Liberty stands for, were delighted to know that justice would be served by the return of the murder suspect.

But not so fast, Jean Pierre.

The French government is refusing to extradite Peterson, whose Dutch-sounding first name Hans must come from his father's side of the family.

At first it was thought that Peterson was off the hook because France won't extradite people to countries that have the death penalty, apparently choosing to ignore all those heads they chopped off over the years while toasting each other with glasses of fine Bordeaux.

But French authorities then said the death penalty issue didn't matter anyway because Peterson's mother is supposedly French and that makes him a French citizen in their eyes. Peterson is considered French, even though he filled out the French citizenship paperwork after Cornbleet was murdered; even though he was born in America, living in America, and accused of killing another American in America.

France doesn't send French citizens to stand trial in other countries … period, according to a spokesman for their embassy in Washington. If your mama is French, who's your daddy doesn't matter.

If they get around to it in the French-Caribbean courts, maybe they'll try him there, but the maximum for murder in the French system is only 20 years. Besides, despite the surrender and reported confession, French authorities haven't even charged him yet.

Illinois' U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama are trying to pressure the French into giving up Peterson for prosecution in Chicago. But I have a better idea: let's play by French rules.

In addition to all those thoughtful gifts the French have given us over the centuries, a few hundred years ago they taught us Chicagoans how to trade.

Starting in the 1600s or earlier, the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan was a French trading outpost. French fur traders were doing business with friendly Indian tribes along Lake Michigan and the rivers that surround what became Chicago. Frenchmen had built small villages here, trading for fur pelts that were then shipped back to rich Parisians.

So, in that spirit, I suggest that we make a trade with modern-day France.

Cook County prosecutors want Hans Peterson.

French authorities want a man name Manuel Noriega.

Remember him? Noriega was the military leader of Panama, arrested more than 17 years ago during the U.S. invasion of that country. He has been serving time in an American prison for drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering and is scheduled for release Sept. 9.

Noriega, 72, known to his enemies as "Pineapple Face," wants to be sent back to Panama when he is released. However, French officials want him extradited to France to serve a prison sentence there. In 1999, Noriega was convicted in France in absentia and sentenced to 10 years for laundering drug money in Paris.

Tomorrow, in a Miami court, a U.S. magistrate is expected to grant France's request for the extradition of Noriega.

But not so fast, Jean Pierre.

The judge should offer to make a trade, just like those French fur traders taught our Native American friends.

We'll give you Noriega, the convicted money-launderer, if you give us Hans Peterson, the accused killer.

After all, they're both about as French as a large order of fries.

Chuck Goudie, whose column appears each Monday, is the chief investigative reporter at ABC7 News in Chicago. The views in this column are his own and not those of WLS-TV. He can be reached at chuckgoudie@gmail.com