USA: Anwalt nach 15 Jahren aus Haft wegen Unterhaltsflucht entlassen

Wenn man in Deutschland wegen Mordes verurteilt wird, kommt man "lebenslänglich" ins Gefängnis, was real in der Regel bedeutet, nach 15 Jahren wieder draußen zu sein. Für Totschlag kann man in etwa acht Jahre ansetzen. 14 Jahre Haft hingegen verbrachte ein US-amerikanischer Anwalt, weil ihm vorgeworfen worden war, seine Ex-Frau um den ihr zustehenden Unterhalt zu betrügen. Dafür wurde er in Zwangshaft genommen – eine Haft, die sich um groteske Weise wieder und wieder verlängerte. Der Betreffende selbst bestreitet bis heute, die geforderten Unterhaltssummen überhaupt aufbringen zu können – und die lange Haftzeit mache ihm eine Rückkehr ins Berufsleben nicht gerade einfacher:

A Pennsylvania lawyer was released from prison on Friday after serving what was believed to be the longest imprisonment on a civil contempt charge in United States history.

The lawyer, H. Beatty Chadwick, was released from a county prison in suburban Philadelphia more than 14 years after he was jailed for refusing to turn over millions of dollars in a bitter divorce battle. The case prompted dozens of appeals to county, state and federal courts, twice reaching the Supreme Court.

Mr. Chadwick, 73, was jailed in April 1995, accused of hiding $2.5 million from his ex-wife during divorce proceedings. Mr. Chadwick maintained that he lost the money in bad investments.

After multiple efforts, Mr. Chadwick’s request for freedom was granted by Judge Joseph Cronin of Delaware County, who determined that his continued incarceration had lost its coercive effect and would not result in his turning over the money. (...)

After his release, Mr. Chadwick said judges have too much discretion in cases like his.

“If I had been convicted of murder in the third degree in Pennsylvania, I would have been out in half the time I was in jail,” he said in a telephone interview.

He insisted that he was unable to pay the money and said the law should be written so people in his situation can have a jury decide if they are capable of complying with court orders.

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