Court Rejects Demjanjuk Appeal

Friday, May 1, 2009 RSS  Short URL  Share

A federal appeals court in Cincinnati has cleared the way for the deportation of retired Seven Hills auto worker John Demjanjuk, who is accused of being a guard in a Nazi death camp.

On April 14, federal immigration officials took Demjanjuk from his home to an airport, ready to put him on a plane to Germany where he stands accused of 29,000 counts of accessory to murder during World War II. The family filed a last-minute appeal, arguing he’s too elderly and ill to make the trip, and doing so would amount to torture. The court agreed to a stay of deportation. But today, the court ruled that there is no evidence the trip would cause irreparable harm to Demjanjuk, given the medical treatment available on the plane.

While the family has indicated it will appeal the case all the way to the US Supreme Court, the government says, if deported, he would be allowed to continue his appeal process from abroad.