Texas Murder Suspect Seeks Asylum in Italy to Avoid Death Penalty
Weeks before his trial for the death of his pregnant wife, Lee Gilley fled the United States after removing his GPS ankle monitor, arriving in Italy with forged documents. Confronted by Italian authorities, Gilley proclaimed his innocence of the murder charge and requested asylum, citing a fear of the death penalty in Texas. An Italian court validated his arrest, keeping him in custody pending a potential extradition hearing, though Italy has a policy against extraditing individuals to countries where they face capital punishment.
John Q. Hosedrinker