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‘Miura did not say a word, but gave photo-op’
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Posted on Oct 13 2008
Kazuyoshi Miura did not say a word to Assistant Attorney General Jeffery Warfield Sr. on his last day on Saipan. However, just before leaving, the Japanese businessman gave Warfield a souvenir—a photo opportunity.
Warfield, who handled the extradition case against Miura, joined four Los Angeles Police Department detectives and local law enforcers in escorting the 61-year-old Miura to the Saipan airport’s tarmac early Friday morning.
As LAPD detectives led Miura to the Continental Airlines plane for the first leg of his journey to Los Angeles, Warfield, Assistant Attorney General Joseph Taijeron and Immigration Maj. Edward Cabrera were seen having photographs of themselves with Miura.
In an interview with the mostly Japanese media shortly after the plane took off, Warfield said that Miura didn’t really say anything to him.
“He gave us some photo opportunity as he got on the plane. Seems like he enjoys the media attention. He seems quiet, calm, quite relaxed,” the prosecutor said.
After learning of Miura’s reported suicide in his cell in L.A., Warfield told Saipan Tribune Saturday night that Miura’s death is “truly a tragedy.”
It was Maj. Cabrera who arrested Miura at the Saipan airport last Feb. 22 after an Immigration officer called him about the Japanese businessman’s presence at the airport.
“We did some checks to verify certain documents, make sure that documents are in order. I proceeded up here [airport] and placed him under arrest,” Cabrera told the media.
Cabrera said Miura was placed in the Immigration system’s database as among those they should be looking for.
The major stated that he feels relieved that the extradition was finally over.
“Miura went through a fair process and he now gets to go back to California and start a new chapter in his judicial proceedings,” Cabrera said.
Less than 24 hours after his arrival at the Los Angeles International Airport on Friday (LA time), Miura was reportedly found hanging in his cell.
