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Suspect Waives Extradition in North Dakota Kidnapping Case

Aired December 03, 2003 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The only known suspect in the apparent kidnapping of a North Dakota college student is on his way to Grand Forks, if he's not there already. Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. waived extradition at a hearing this morning in Crookston, Minnesota, some 25 miles away from the Grand Forks town. Grand Forks is where Dru Sjodin disappeared a week ago Saturday and where a widening search is still centered.
CNN's Jeff Flock has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Standing outside the police department here in Grand Forks. And we expect that Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., 50 years old, convicted rapist, will be back here in Grand Forks, perhaps as early as today.

He waived extradition earlier today in Crookston, Minnesota, where he had been arrested. Pictures of Mr. Rodriguez being led into the courthouse there, a very short proceeding. He elected to waive extradition proceedings, said that he would agree to come back and answer perhaps formal charges at some point in connection with the kidnapping of Dru Sjodin.

The judge in the court asked him if he understood what he was doing. He said, yes, he did. And then someone at back of the court burst out toward Mr. Rodriguez and, in Spanish, said, "For your mother's sake, please tell where the girl is." Mr. Rodriguez made no reply to that and made his way out of the courthouse.

Now, on another front, that on the search, a lot of activity as well today, literally hundreds of volunteers showing up after a public call went out with ATVs, those all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel-drive vehicles that enable searchers to get out and search in rural areas, hundreds of people literally taking part in that day, after queuing up at arenas in both Polk County in Minnesota, as well as in Grand Forks County here in North Dakota, to look for any cues to the disappearance of Ms. Sjodin.

So a lot of developments on both fronts today, both judicial, as well as on the search. And will, of course, continue to watch them.

Jeff Flock, reporting from the police station in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: In the in the of context now, here are some numbers worth digesting.

As of last March, FBI statistics put the number of people missing in America at nearly 97,300. More than half of those missing are under 18 years of age. You know about Dru Sjodin, missing now for 11 days and last seen wearing a purple blouse, black slacks and a black coat.

Also last month, two young women under 18 were listed as newly missing by the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. They are Tiaira Lachelle Brandon, missing from Danville, Virginia, since November 3. She is 14 years old, 5'4'' and weighs 90 pounds. Also, Dona Michelle Frost reported missing November 20, also in Virginia. She is 15 years of age, 5'5'', 120 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Case>


Aired December 3, 2003 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The only known suspect in the apparent kidnapping of a North Dakota college student is on his way to Grand Forks, if he's not there already. Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. waived extradition at a hearing this morning in Crookston, Minnesota, some 25 miles away from the Grand Forks town. Grand Forks is where Dru Sjodin disappeared a week ago Saturday and where a widening search is still centered.
CNN's Jeff Flock has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Standing outside the police department here in Grand Forks. And we expect that Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., 50 years old, convicted rapist, will be back here in Grand Forks, perhaps as early as today.

He waived extradition earlier today in Crookston, Minnesota, where he had been arrested. Pictures of Mr. Rodriguez being led into the courthouse there, a very short proceeding. He elected to waive extradition proceedings, said that he would agree to come back and answer perhaps formal charges at some point in connection with the kidnapping of Dru Sjodin.

The judge in the court asked him if he understood what he was doing. He said, yes, he did. And then someone at back of the court burst out toward Mr. Rodriguez and, in Spanish, said, "For your mother's sake, please tell where the girl is." Mr. Rodriguez made no reply to that and made his way out of the courthouse.

Now, on another front, that on the search, a lot of activity as well today, literally hundreds of volunteers showing up after a public call went out with ATVs, those all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel-drive vehicles that enable searchers to get out and search in rural areas, hundreds of people literally taking part in that day, after queuing up at arenas in both Polk County in Minnesota, as well as in Grand Forks County here in North Dakota, to look for any cues to the disappearance of Ms. Sjodin.

So a lot of developments on both fronts today, both judicial, as well as on the search. And will, of course, continue to watch them.

Jeff Flock, reporting from the police station in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: In the in the of context now, here are some numbers worth digesting.

As of last March, FBI statistics put the number of people missing in America at nearly 97,300. More than half of those missing are under 18 years of age. You know about Dru Sjodin, missing now for 11 days and last seen wearing a purple blouse, black slacks and a black coat.

Also last month, two young women under 18 were listed as newly missing by the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. They are Tiaira Lachelle Brandon, missing from Danville, Virginia, since November 3. She is 14 years old, 5'4'' and weighs 90 pounds. Also, Dona Michelle Frost reported missing November 20, also in Virginia. She is 15 years of age, 5'5'', 120 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Case>