Somali Pirates Accused of Murdering Four Americans May Face US Death Penalty
The Somali pirates arrested after the killing of four Americans on board their yacht could face the death penalty if they stand trial in the United States. 15 male maritime pirates are accused of killing Jean and Scott Adam, from California, and Phyllis Macay and Robert Riggle, from Seattle. The four were shot onboard a yacht, the Quest, in the waters off Oman after being hijacked by pirates. The bodies of the victims were taken aboard the USS Enterprise and are expected to be taken to the U.S.
Mr. and Mrs. Scott, from Marina del Ray, had been living onboard the 58-foot Quest since December 2004, and were hoping to keep travelling. The Adams were Catholic missionaries, reaching out religiously while sailing the world, distributing Bibles to remote villages around the world. The couple had the Quest custom-built to carry the heavy amount of Bibles. They were joined by crewmembers Miss Macay, and Mr. Riggle last year.
The pirates are currently being held on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, which is in the waters off East Africa. Many observers wonder if the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York will also host this maritime piracy trial. The legal entity recently succeeded in the case of Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, a Somalian pirate recently sentenced to 33 years in jail for the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. He was the only survivor of the pirate crew.
If the pirates are charged with kidnapping and murder, they could face the death penalty. The federal death penalty can be enacted even in states without the death penalty.
Maritime piracy has been an awful part of the shipping industry off East Africa for years, but the degree of violence used during the attacks and the amount of ransom money demanded have both grown increasingly worse. Pirates are currently holding some 30 ships and more than 660 hostages. Our hearts and prayers go out to the friends and families and countless lives touched by those senselessly injured and killed by piracy violence.
The maritime piracy lawyers of Schechter McElwee Shaffer & Harris, LLP have represented crewmembers of vessels involved in pirate attacks for over 45 years. We are currently representing crewmembers of the Maersk Alabama, which was attacked in April 2009. If you have been on a vessel that was attacked by these pirate gangs, contact a maritime attorney for a free consultation about your case.
Comments
I have to be honest. I really didn't mind the pirates so much until they started whacking hostages. It's that whole stealing bread to feed your family thing. Maybe ships are bigger than bread, but it deserves be noted that the Somali Pirates point out a gaping inequality in the world economy. Just my two cents.
Posted by: Somali Pirate | March 12, 2011 8:02 PM