United States v. Steven Paul Valot, Steven Paul Valot v. United States

Appellant Steven Paul Valot appeals from his conviction for making false statements in obtaining a passport, and from the denial of his habeas corpus petition challenging the revocation of his parole. The issues raised by the two appeals are identical. Valot contends that both his prosecution in the district court and the parole revocation proceedings were barred because he was illegally abducted from Thailand by agents of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in violation of his constitutional rights and of the extradition treaty in effect between the United States and Thailand.

FACTS

In 1975, Valot violated his parole to the District of Hawaii by traveling to Asia and Nevada; a warrant was issued for his arrest. In 1977, he was arrested in Thailand on a marijuana charge; he was incarcerated until May 4, 1979. On that day, Thai immigration officials brought Valot to the immigration area and then to the transit lounge of the Bangkok airport, and forced him to remain there. Two DEA agents arrived, received Valot from the Thai officials and, over his protest, took him aboard a flight to Honolulu. At the pilot’s request, Valot was flown in handcuffs. When he arrived in…