MEXICO RELENTS ON KILLERS U.S. GIVEN AUTHORITY TO EXTRADITE SUSPECTS.

Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Clearing the way for investigators to hunt down hundreds of fugitives from American justice, the Mexican Supreme Court has lifted a ban on extraditing suspects who might face life imprisonment in the United States - a decision hailed Wednesday by California law enforcement officials.

The ruling, which applies only to life sentences and not death-penalty cases, could affect more than 700 suspects in California crimes, including 200 in Los Angeles-area crimes, believed to have fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution.

``Thank goodness it's done. Now we can bring fugitives back to America,'' Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said. ``Clearly the U.S. Marshal's Office and the policing authorities are going to increase their numbers now.''

The ruling overturns a 2001 Mexican Supreme Court decision that life imprisonment is cruel and unusual punishment and that Mexican citizens could not be extradited in such cases. Mexico had previously - in the 1970s - struck down the death penalty except in war or military crimes.

U.S. and California lawmakers, as well as victims' families, had railed against the ruling, saying Mexico was providing a safe haven for killers.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said being able to haul fugitives to the U.S. for life sentences will have a tremendous impact locally.

``This clears the way for those extraditions that have been stalled by Mexico, and it also means prosecutors won't have to engage in games of legal Twister ... just to satisfy the ban on life terms.''

Cooley said he expects competition from prosecutors nationwide seeking to extradite thousands of suspects, and he will reassign staffers to speed up Los Angeles County's effort. About 3,000 suspects nationwide have fled to Mexico, he estimated.

``Locating them is going to be the hard part,'' Cooley said. But he said their nation's high court ruling clears the way for Mexican police to openly help track them down.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein called the ruling a ``giant step forward.''

``It will help ensure that simply crossing the border into Mexico no longer results in brutal criminals escaping punishment.''

Lawmakers and local leaders attributed the new ruling to a shift in the Mexican high court's composition, as well as U.S. political pressure. Delegations had met repeatedly with Mexican officials on the topic, and earlier this year Congress threatened to end some aid.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, among those who have met with Mexican officials, and Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, are moving legislation to increase federal resources in cases in which felons flee the country to avoid prosecution.

``Our efforts to ratchet up the pressure on Mexico were a factor and perhaps a strong factor,'' Schiff said Wednesday. ``Our legislation, as well as other legislative efforts, had an influence.''

Dreier, who had met with Mexican President Vicente Fox on extradition and also argued the issue before the Mexican Supreme Court, praised that country's independent judicial system and called the ruling ``an extraordinary step.''

He attributed the ruling to a growing understanding of the extradition issue and said he does not believe it was in response to any threat from Congress.

``As President Fox pointed out to me: He said, 'Do you think we want a cold-blooded killer roaming this country?' No threat to Mexico had an impact on the supreme court decision,'' Dreier said.

In Santa Clarita, the family of sheriff's Deputy David March, who was killed in 2002, said the ruling has renewed hope that investigators will find and prosecute Armando Garcia, suspected of gunning the deputy down in Irwindale and then fleeing to Mexico.

``It's the best news I've heard in 3 1/2 years,'' said Terri March, David March's widow.

``It's given us a real, profound hope,'' she said. ``I just feel more encouraged that we're going to get him and he's going to serve time for the crime he's committed. He got far too many years of freedom.''

Barbara March, the slain deputy's mother, called it ``the biggest step forward that we've had.''

She said investigators have informed her that they know where Garcia is in Mexico, and she believes he will be arrested and extradited.

While Cooley declined to discuss the case specifically, Baca said he also is optimistic.

``I believe the extradition process will go forward, and the suspect who killed David March will be captured, and he will be extradited to the United States.''

Staff Writers Troy Anderson and Harrison Sheppard contributed to this story.

Lisa Friedman, [phone]

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com

SNAPSHOTS

Some of the Los Angeles County homicide cases involving suspects now believed to be in Mexico:

--Daniel Perez was convicted in 1999 of shooting his wife in the face in South Gate; a warrant also has been issued for his arrest in connection with the killing of his wife's father in Fontana.

--Armando Garcia is the primary suspect in the 2002 shooting of sheriff's Deputy David March during a traffic stop in Irwindale.

--Alvaro Jara is the primary suspect in the 1998 drive-by shooting of 12- year-old Steven Morales. In 2001, Mexico refused to deport Jara to the United States.

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