Editing Manuel Noriega (section)

===Prosecution in France===
The French government had requested Noriega's [[extradition]] after he was convicted of money laundering in 1999. It stated that Noriega had laundered {{Nowrap|$3 million}} in drug proceeds by purchasing luxury apartments in Paris. Noriega was [[Trial in absentia|convicted ''in absentia'']], but French law required a new trial after the subject of an ''in absentia'' sentence was apprehended.<ref name="1stPostLine" /><ref name="Lee" /> France had previously made Noriega a ''Commandeur'' of the [[Legion of Honour|Légion d'honneur]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davis|first1=Lizzie|title=Manuel Noriega, former ruler of Panama, sent to jail by French judge|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/27/manuel-noriega-french-court-jail|access-date=May 30, 2017|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|work=[[Le Monde]]|url=http://lci.tf1.fr/monde/amerique/2007-08/quand-noriega-etait-decore-legion-honneur-4904147.html |title=Quand Noriega était décoré de la Légion d'honneur |date=August 29, 2007 |language=fr |trans-title=When Noriega was awarded the Legion of Honour |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603042218/http://lci.tf1.fr/monde/amerique/2007-08/quand-noriega-etait-decore-legion-honneur-4904147.html |archive-date=June 3, 2010 |access-date=July 8, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

In August 2007, a U.S. federal judge approved the French government's request to extradite Noriega to France after his release. Noriega appealed his extradition because he claimed France would not honor his legal status as a prisoner of war.<ref name="Limbo">{{cite web |url= http://www.coha.org/manuel-noriega-in-legal-limbo-%E2%80%93-grant-him-house-arrest/|title=Manuel Noriega in Legal Limbo&nbsp;– Grant Him House Arrest|first=Aviva|last=Elzufon|work=Council on Hemispheric Affairs|date=June 5, 2008}}</ref> Though Noriega had been scheduled to be released in 2007, he remained incarcerated while his appeal was pending in court.<ref name="nytimesobit" /> The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] refused to [[Certiorari|hear his appeal]] in January 2010, and in March declined a petition for a rehearing.<ref>[https://www.supremecourt.gov/docketfiles/09-35.htm ''Noriega v. Pastrana''], 559 U.S. ____ (2010), No. 09–35 (decided January 25, 2010) – [https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/09-35.pdf dissenting opinion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131184538/https://www.supremecourt.gov/Opinions/09pdf/09-35.pdf |date=January 31, 2017 }} by Justice [[Clarence Thomas]] joined by Justice [[Antonin Scalia]]</ref><ref name="Anderson">{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/22/us/politics/AP-US-Supreme-Court-Noriega.html?scp=4&sq=manuel%20antonio%20noriega&st=cse |title = Supreme Court Refuses Noriega's Rehearing Request |last = Anderson |first = Curt |date = March 22, 2010 |work = The New York Times |access-date = March 25, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2010/mar/22/supreme-court-refuses-noriegas-rehearing-request/ Alt URL]</ref> Two days after the refusal, the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida|District Court for the Southern District of Florida]] in Miami lifted the stay that was blocking Noriega's extradition. Later that month Noriega's attorney stated that he would travel to France and try to arrange a deal with the French government.<ref name="AP-Stay">{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/24/us/AP-US-Noriega-Extradition.html?scp=3&sq=manuel%20antonio%20noriega&st=cse |title = Judge Lifts Stay Blocking Noriega's Extradition |agency = Associated Press |date = March 24, 2010 |work = The New York Times |access-date = March 25, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [https://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/03/24/judge_lifts_stay_blocking_noriegas_extradition/ Alt URL]</ref>

Noriega was extradited to France on April 26, 2010.<ref name="Lee">{{cite news |url = http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/27/noriega.extradition/ |title = Ex-Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega extradited to France |date = April 27, 2010 |access-date = January 29, 2016 |publisher = CNN }}</ref> Noriega's lawyers claimed the [[La Santé Prison]], at which he was held, was unfit for a man of his age and rank; the French government refused to grant him prisoner of war status, which he had maintained in the United States.<ref name=AP_2010/> On July 7, 2010, Noriega was convicted by the 11th chamber of the Tribunal Correctionnel de Paris and sentenced to seven years in jail.<ref name=AP_2010>{{cite news |url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/7/french-court-hands-noriega-7-year-prison-term/ |title = French court hands Noriega 7-year prison term |agency = Associated Press |work = The Washington Times |date = July 7, 2010 }}</ref><ref name=NY_Times>{{cite news|title=Noriega Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison in France |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/08/world/americas/08noriega.html |work=The New York Times |date=July 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930061931/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/08/world/americas/08noriega.html?_r=1 |archive-date=September 30, 2017 |first=David |last=Jolly |url-status=live  }}</ref> The prosecutor in the case had sought a ten-year prison term.<ref name=NY_Times/> In addition, the court ordered the seizure of €2.3&nbsp;million (approximately U.S. $3.6&nbsp;million) that had long been frozen in Noriega's French bank accounts.<ref name=AP_2010/>