Pinochet Wins New Hearing from Britain’s House of Lords

On December 17, 1998, the House of Lords set aside its decision of November 25 denying him immunity from arrest on the basis of an undisclosed conflict of interest by one of the Lords who participated in the prior decision. On November 25, 1998, the House of Lords denied claims by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator, to immunity from arrest and committed him to remain in custody in Britain while Spain seeks his extradition on charges of mass murder and terrorism. On December 9, 1998, Britain’s Home Secretary Jack Straw approved the request of the Spanish Government for his extradition. On December 14, 1998, the House of Lords held an unprecedented hearing to reconsider the decision based in part on the allegation that one of the Law Lords had an undisclosed bias that precluded a fair verdict.