Jeez, so glad he is free now. The civil suit looks like a no-brainer, too. Good luck!
Future advice for anyone in a similar situation: get a lawyer right away.
In this case, if your brother qualified for public defender assistance in Nevada, he should have requested a lawyer for the extradition process. This would have given him a lawyer, and even though extradition is pretty much a gimme for Nevada – all they have to do is answer the question of whether or not the governor of Oregon has certified that your brother is a fugitive from justice; they don’t look at the merits of the charges at all – it still was the first step in the due process rights afforded to any accused. By getting a lawyer at that stage, you would have had a zealous advocate who knew how to follow up and get answers.
I cannot emphasize this point enough: ALWAYS GET A LAWYER. Do not rely on your innocence, on the country’s great system of justice, on how it’s all a mistake and will be worked out fine. If you are arrested, even if you’re the next candidate for sainthood, DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE except to request a lawyer. And don’t waive your extradition unless your lawyer advises you to do so.
- Rick