Extradition proceedings against a man wanted in Texas for the murder, in 1974, of two Mormon missionaries have been delayed for health reasons. Robert Elmer Kleasen, 69, was convicted in 1975 of the murder of Gary Darley, 20, and Mark Fischer, 19, in Austin, Texas. But he was later freed from Death Row on a technicality.
Kleasen pictured with his English wife, Marie, on their wedding day
After serving time in a US prison on federal firearms charges he came to England in 1990 and married a woman in Barton-upon-Humber, north Lincolnshire.
Kleasen, who had not told his English wife of his past, had been given a licence not only to possess a shotgun but to become a licensed firearms dealer.
When Humberside Police were tipped off about his past his licences were revoked and in May 2000 he was jailed for three years at Grimsby Crown Court on firearms charges.
Now the District Attorney's Office in Travis County, Texas, want to extradite Kleasen and put him on trial again for the Mormon missionary murders, using new DNA evidence.
Indicted
He has already been indicted, in his absence, by a grand jury.
On Monday Kleasen was due to appear at Bow Street magistrates court in central London to set a date for a committal hearing at which the prosecuting authorities would set out prima facie evidence.
But his solicitor, Robert Layton, told the court his client - who claims to have suffered a heart attack while in prison - was seeing a cardiologist to ascertain the degree of his heart problem.
Mr Layton said: "He is the sort of gentleman who would like to be here."
Russell Tyner, a solicitor acting on behalf of the US Government, raised no objections to the case being adjourned until Christmas Eve and Kleasen was remanded in custody in his absence.
Outside the court Mr Tyner said it was hoped that some time in the New Year a date would be set for the committal but he said the decision on whether or not to extradite Kleasen back to Texas was ultimately up to the Home Secretary, David Blunkett.