SCHUMER URGES ACTING U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE SULLIVAN TO IMMEDIATELY USE ALL DIPLOMATIC RESOURCES AND LEVERAGE TO EXTRADITE SUSPECT IN MURDER OF HALEY ANDERSON TO BINGHAMTON FOR TRIAL
Schumer: Feds Must Do Everything Possible To Deliver Justice To The Anderson Family
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today called on Acting United States Secretary of State John J. Sullivan to immediately use all available diplomatic influence to convince the Nicaraguan government to extradite murder suspect Orlando Tercero to be tried for the murder of Haley Anderson, a nursing student and native of Westbury, Long Island. Schumer said his office is working hand in glove with Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell to make sure all appropriate law enforcement and diplomatic authorities are actively working together to ensure Tercero is extradited to the United States to stand trial.
“Today I am strongly urging the U.S. State Department to do everything within its power to see that murder suspect Orlando Tercero is promptly extradited to the United States to stand trial for this heinous murder of Binghamton University nursing student Haley Anderson,” said Senator Schumer. “While my words of sympathy will not soothe the pain and suffering the Anderson family is feeling right now, I can promise them that I will strongly urge the highest levels of the State and Justice Departments to make sure that our federal government is doing everything possible to deliver them justice.”
“Thank you to Senator Schumer, Binghamton Police, and all agencies working tirelessly to bring justice on behalf of Haley Anderson. By working with local, state, and national agencies and officials, justice will be served,” Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell
Schumer’s letter to Acting Secretary John J. Sullivan appears below:
Acting Secretary Sullivan,
I write to express my deep concern regarding the murder of Haley Anderson, a Binghamton University nursing student and native of Westbury, Long Island. The suspect, Orlando Tercero, is a fellow student who is a dual citizen of the US and Nicaragua, and with whom the victim had a prior relationship. Mr. Tercero fled the country before Ms. Anderson’s body was discovered and flew to Nicaragua. He has been arrested by the Nicaraguan authorities, and is presently being held with no publicly articulated plans to return him to the U.S.
I understand that, while we have an extradition treaty with Nicaragua, there are challenges to achieving this vital objective due to Nicaraguan law. But we are not without considerable diplomatic and other leverage in our relationship with Nicaragua, and – given the gravity of this situation and the urgent need to provide justice to Haley Anderson and all who knew and loved her – all available levers of influence and persuasion should be employed to secure Mr. Tercero’s prompt extradition.
As the State Department may already be aware, a federal warrant is expected to be issued imminently, for Mr. Tercero’s extradition to New York. Given the violent nature of the crime, the disturbing facts surrounding the suspect's flight from the jurisdiction, and our extradition treaty with Nicaragua, I respectfully ask that you make this case a top priority and take all appropriate steps to aggressively pursue the prompt extradition of Mr. Tercero.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
CHARLES E. SCHUMER
United States Senator
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