Posted: 04/27/2010 at 3:25am | IP Logged

Missionary Laura Silsby Set for Trial in Haiti

KBTV Newschannel 7, CNN

PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI - American missionary Laura Silsby will stand trial in Haiti on a charge of arranging irregular travel, a judge ruled Monday, but more serious charges against her and nine fellow missionaries were dropped.

Judge Bernard Saint-Vil dropped kidnapping and criminal association charges against Silsby and nine other missionaries who were stopped while trying to take 33 Haitian children out of the country after a devastating earthquake rocked Haiti in January.

If convicted Silsby could face from six months to three years in prison for arranging irregular travel, the Haitian term for illegally smuggling humans. The judge said documents in the case will be delivered to Haiti's attorney general Tuesday morning and the trial could begin as early as this week.

Silsby's nine fellow missionaries were released from detention and returned to the United States weeks ago, but Silsby has remained behind bars in Haiti.

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