Haitian man is convicted in U.S. court for taking American citizen hostage in Haiti. Man: I didn’t know she was an American, I didn’t have fair notice I could be dragooned to the U.S., and Congress doesn’t have the authority to outlaw (this) crime beyond U.S. borders. Eleventh Circuit: Nope. The U.S. and Haiti are parties to an international treaty on hostage taking that puts everyone on notice and gives Congress all the authority it needs. And you needn’t know the victim is American for the law to kick in.
