U.S. judge refuses to halt extradition

A former Lithuanian lawmaker appeared close to fainting in a Chicago federal courtroom Thursday as a judge refused to halt her extradition to her homeland, where she faces charges stemming from her claims about the existence of a ring of influential pedophiles.

Lawyers for 47-year-old Neringa Venckiene said they would immediately appeal the decision to the 7th U.S. District Court of Appeals. That likely means Venckiene won’t be forced on a plane back to Lithuania for at least several weeks.

Venckiene was a central figure in a scandal that gripped and divided Lithuanians before she fled to Chicago in 2013 as prosecutors prepared charges. Also a former judge, Venckiene is viewed by some Lithuanians as a heroine for exposing a seedy criminal network, but others see her as a manipulator who fabricated the pedophilia claims.

As it became clear the ruling wasn’t going her way Thursday in U.S. District Court, Venckiene — standing in orange jail garb — appeared near to collapsing and had to be helped to a seat. When the judge asked if she wanted a break, Venckiene said: “No, no.” But the judge recessed for five minutes anyway, as Venckiene drank water and dabbed her face with a tissue.

The charges she faces in Lithuania include reporting a false crime; disobeying an order to relinquish custody of her 4-year-old niece, whom she alleges was one of the pedophile ring’s victims; and hitting an officer as dozens of police pried the girl from her arms in a raid.