Birmingham, Al (WIAT) It’s just speculation that Joran van der Sloot is a serial killer. It’s a fact that van der Sloot is a serial confessor.
He’s confessed to disposing of Natalee Holloway’s body. He’s confessed to killing Stephany Flores in Peru. But those confessions are always later denied or taken back. And now, van der Sloot’s lawyer in Peru says the Dutchman’s murder confession must be thrown out because it was coerced.
Lawyer Max Altez told the Dutch website
BNDESTEM.NL van der Sloot’s fundamental rights have been violated. "I appeal for as long until that happens. If necessary to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights."
Van der Sloot is facing charges he murdered 21 year old Stephany Flores. The student’s body was found in van der Sloot’s Lima hotel room five years to the day after the disappearance of Mountain Brook teen Natalee Holloway on a graduation trip to Aruba. She was last seen with van der Sloot who is considered the prime suspect in the case but has never been charged by Aruban authorities.
Van der Sloot has been indicted by a federal grand jury here in Birmingham on extortion and wire fraud charges. The U.S. attorney’s office here says van der Sloot took money and promised to tell Natalee’s family what happened in Aruba five years ago. No information was delivered to the Holloways. Those charges are apparently stuck in a legal line behind the Peruvian murder charges.
Other international news sources say a decision of the latest appeal could come as soon as next week. An earlier appeal on the same basic grounds: alleged coercion, legal misrepresentation and problems with translation were considered and thrown out previously by a Peruvian judge. Altez has taken the case to a three judge appeals panel.
The case involves heated passions in Peru which as seen a rash of local women apparently killed by visiting foreigners. Altez says he’s been threatened. "There are stones thrown at my office and relatives in Miami have also received threats." He says he’s sticking with the case. "But after I had taken steps to ensure my safety, I decided to go."
In yet another strange note in a story that now stretches over five continents (including allegations van der Sloot was involved in a sex slave ring in Thailand), Peter de Vries, the Dutch TV reporter who recorded van der Sloot’s confession he dumped Natalee’s body in the sea has been released on bail in Australia where he was arrested for trespass while chasing another accused murderer.
