Statement Regarding Today's Developments in Haiti: Imprisoned Americans Exonerated, to be Held Indefinitely

DALLAS, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, evidence transmitted by a Haitian judge cleared Jim Allen and the nine other Americans currently being held in the Caribbean nation, though no release date has been set.  Although all the information gathered by the State Department and the Haitian judge exonerates Jim Allen, he is still imprisoned indefinitely in a jail in Haiti.  In regard to the news of exoneration, Reginald Brown and Jennifer O'Connor, both of WilmerHale and part of the legal team working toward Mr. Allen's release, gave the following statement:

We are heartened by today's timely actions by Haitian Judge Bernard Saint-Vil. We hope the prosecutor and other senior Haitian officials will now quickly conclude that Jim Allen should be released. It is the right and humane thing to do. Jim Allen came to Haiti to help, and did so in good faith. It is now time to bring Jim home.

No one benefits when relief volunteers languish in prison for weeks on end under conditions that are, at best, difficult. Haitian and U.S. officials must bring this misunderstanding to a prompt end so that Americans and Haitians can return to the important task of relief and rebuilding.

Liberty Legal Institute is a non-profit legal organization committed to the defense of First Amendment and Constitutional rights.  

A website has been set up to help bring Jim home, www.bringjimhome.com.

SOURCE Liberty Legal Institute