Jayant Patel decides to give up fight against extradition

Melbourne, June 27 (PTI) - India-born surgeon Jayant Patel,
accused of manslaughter charges in Australia, has decided to
give up his fight against extradition from the US to
Queensland, a report said on Thursday.

Patel, dubbed 'Dr. Death' by the Australian media and
currently locked up in high security US prison since March 11,
has agreed to drop his fight of extradition to Australia and
now wants to confront the alleged crimes he is accused of
committing while serving as director of surgery at Bundaberg
Base Hospital in Queensland between 2003 and 2005.

He has been charged with 16 offences, including
manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and fraud charges.

According to the AAP report, the move was filed in the US
District Court in Portland, Oregon, by his American lawyer
Marc Blackman.

It appeared that he would wage a lengthy court battle to
avoid extradition to Australia and the case could have dragged
on for years.

"Respondent (Patel) intends to consent to extradition to
expedite his transfer to Australia," Blackman wrote in today's
filing motion.

"This consent reflects his willingness, desire and intent
to confront the allegations on the merits. He now accepts that
he must return to Australia to contest the allegations," he
added.

Patel is also asking to be released from the Portland
jail, the Multnomah County Detention Centre, ahead of his
extradition to Australia.

He wants to live at his home in Portland with his wife
Kishoree, while the details of his extradition are finalised.

Patel's lawyer said his client was willing to be monitored
with a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit.

"Respondent has confirmed that if released, he can be
supervised by the Pretrial Services Office on the standard
conditions of release and the special condition that he be
monitored by a Global Positioning System unit," Blackman
wrote.

"He seeks release to home confinement with allowance for
pre-approved attendance at medical appointments, religious
services and similar activities deemed reasonable and
necessary by the Pretrial Services Office," he said.

"The Pretrial Services Office has confirmed that such
monitoring is available and provides not only real-time
monitoring of respondents' whereabouts, but exclusion from
geographical areas. Home confinement using GPS monitoring
provides not only real-time assurance of compliance with
release conditions, but instantaneous notice of any deviation
and respondents' precise location," he further wrote.