Morris Zanazanian v. United States

Morris Zanazanian appeals from the denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. Zanazanian was taken into federal custody by order of a federal magistrate finding him extraditable to Sweden for smuggling and narcotics offenses.

On appeal, Zanazanian contends that the documents used to demonstrate probable cause that he committed the charged offenses were not “competent legal evidence” because they consist solely of reports of unsworn hearsay statements. He also argues that these reports, even if competent, cannot alone support extradition absent corroborating evidence.

FACTS

The documents presented at the extradition hearing include police reports of interrogations of suspects involved in the same narcotics activities for which Zanazanian is charged. The reports are detailed descriptions of the suspect’s personal dealings with Zanazanian. They are not the suspect’s first person accounts, but rather, third person accounts of what the suspect said. Each report appears on a form which includes the names of the interrogating officers, the name of the suspect, and the date, time, and place of the interrogation. Each contains a statement that the interrogation was recorded on…