Congressman calls for extradition of alleged murderer Charlie Hill from Cuba

Congressman calls for extradition of alleged murderer Charlie Hill from Cuba
By Candace Hopkins
Published: July 30, 2015, 7:23 pm

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE)- He's accused of killing a New Mexico State Police
Officer, then hijacking a plane from the Sunport and fleeing to Cuba.
Now a California lawmaker, with personal ties to the incident, wants
Charlie Hill back in the U.S.

Hill was granted asylum by the Cuban government in 1971. This past
winter, as relations with that government started to thaw, Governor
Martinez called for his extradition. Now California Congressman Jerry
McNerney is doing the same.

It has been 43 long years but California Congressman and Albuquerque
native, Jerry McNerney, says that November day is one he will never forget.

"They just walked in with guns and took control of the airplane", said
McNerney.

They were Charlie Hill, Michael Finney and Ralph Goodwin. McNerney was
just 20-year-old at the time of the hijacking from Albuquerque's
Sunport. The passengers were flown to Tampa and let off the plane. The
crew was forced to fly the TWA jet to Havana.

McNerney said, "Even though no one was harmed I think the potential for
that mass of people dying was there, so, we don't want to say in any way
shape or form that we would condone or let that sort of thing go."

In the spirit of not letting go, McNerney is the latest leader to call
for Hill's extradition, to face charges for the hijacking and the murder
of State Police Officer Robert Rosenbloom. Suspects Finney and Goodwin
have since died in Cuba. Only Hill remains a fugitive from New Mexico
justice.

Last week, Congressman McNerney wrote Secretary of State John Kerry
urging the administration to compel Cuba to extradite Hill.

"You may or may not consider that terrorist activity but it certainly is
grave criminal behavior that needs to be brought to justice", said McNerney.

McNerney says now that relations have been re-established with Cuba, he
hopes the extradition can finally become reality.

McNerney said, "I think the Secretary of State should make that an
important part of the agenda, that we establish extradition."

Hill's attorney says the Congressman's letter condemns Hill as a "cop
killer" and he says it is inappropriate for McNerney, a witness to the
hijacking, to be speaking out about it before giving testimony.

State Police Chief Pete Kassetas has also called for Hill's extradition.
He even said he would personally pay for his return.

Source: Congressman calls for extradition of alleged murderer Charlie
Hill from Cuba | KRQE News 13 -
http://krqe.com/2015/07/30/congressman-calls-for-extradition-of-alleged-murderer-charlie-hill-from-cuba/