Gerne Broteau transferred into Republic custody

Luminaire – Gerne Broteau, the convicted mass-shooter responsible for the death of Karin Midular, was remanded into Minmatar Republic custody today. A fleet of Republic Security Services ships arrived at the Federal Intelligence Office station in Oursulaert, where Broteau had been held awaiting transfer, shortly after noon, and accepted the handover.

Broteau was then escorted back into Minmatar space, where he is expected to face a full trial before the Sebiestor tribe for the massacre, which included the deaths of many non-Sebiestor and several Gallente Federation citizens. Broteau has already been sentenced to 14 consecutive life sentences in the Federation for the attack. The trial is expected to begin immediately.

The decision to transfer him to Republic custody has been harshly criticized by several elements of the Federation, including several senators belonging to the Sociocrats party, who have called the move “a violation of Federal law in order to appease a belligerent foreign power.” One senator said, “Broteau deserves to be punished for his heinous crimes. But it should be done in the Federation, where the crime occurred and of whom the majority of the victims were citizens. We now risk setting a dangerous precedent where the Minmatar can clog our justice system with extradition requests for any crime committed against a Minmatar inside the Federation, even if they are Federation citizens.”

Even those who have supported the move acknowledge that it is largely conciliatory, saying, “Broteau was facing a prison sentence from which he would never exit. Once the Republic has meted out their punishment, he will be returned to the Federation to serve his sentence.”