Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected an American immigrant’s appeal, saying she should be extradited to the United States to stand trial for a 1980 bombing in California.
An expanded five-justice Supreme Court panel declared Monday that Rochelle Manning, 53, should be extradited in connection with the 1980 murder of an American computer-company secretary, Patricia Wilkerson, by a parcel bomb.
Rochelle Manning’s husband, Robert Manning, 41, was extradited July 18 in the same case and is currently awaiting trial in California. He has pleaded not guilty in the case.
Justice Minister David Libai will sign the extradition order within a few days, according to a ministry spokesperson.
The U.S. extradition request charged the Mannings, who immigrated to Israel in 1981, with mailing an explosive device to the Prowest Computer Corp. in Manhattan Beach, Calif., as a result of a 1980 business dispute.
The parcel bomb, disguised as a new invention, was addressed to Wilkerson’s boss, Brenda Krothmel. Wilkerson opened the package and was instantly killed by the explosion.
According to the U.S. charge sheet, the Mannings sent the bomb at the instigation of their friend, William Ross, who had a business dispute with Krothmel.
Neither of the Mannings is charged with making the bomb, but both were charged with conspiring to mail an explosive device with intent to kill.
The Mannings, who live in the West Bank town of Kiryat Arba, are followers of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, founder of the Jewish Defense League and extremist Kach movement.
Supporters of the couple who were present in court at the time of Monday’s ruling shouted curses at the justices and were forcibly ejected by bailiffs.
Rochelle Manning’s lawyer had argued that returning her to the United States would constitute double jeopardy, since she was tried on the same charges in 1988, following her arrest at Los Angeles International Airport.
The Israeli judges ruled that the double jeopardy claim could not be upheld in this case, as the earlier trial had ended in a hung jury and she therefore could be tried again.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
