Former producer in L.A. area despite warrant

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. Beresford-Redman is facing murder charges in connection with the murder of his wife. He was named in a provisional arrest warrant that acknowledges the extradition treaty between the U.S. and Mexico and authorizes U.S. federal agents to execute his arrest.

He is accused of murdering his wife, /*Monica Beresford-Redman*/, on April 8 while the family vacationed in Cancun. The warrant cites evidence, according to legal analyst James E. Blancarte, who specializes in international law.

"The U.S. federal authorities now have to review that extradition package and the evidence in support of that arrest warrant and decide if they agree," Blancarte said.

At his home on Tuesday, Beresford-Redman's father backed out of the garage, with the children loaded in the backseat. The grandparents are the legal temporary guardians, and they've been watching the kids since the murder.

Authorities in Cancun told Beresford-Redman to remain in the country, but he left and returned to California. His attorney claimed that he was under no legal restraint to stay in Mexico.

Reporters have been camped out at his house since he returned. His father emerged on Tuesday morning to take pictures of the crowd. Beresford-Redman has not been hiding and has been seen playing with his children.

"I am devastated at her loss; and I am incensed at the suggestion that I could have had anything to do with her death. I am innocent," Beresford-Redman said in a statement.

The family of his wife also released a statement, saying, "If in fact he is innocent then he should have no problem waiving extradition proceedings and returning to Mexico to defend himself."

Beresford-Redman said he will fight extradition, and that battle could keep him in the states for some time.

According to Blancarte, the extradition process could take months.

"You can bet that both countries are going to dot their i's and cross their t's. This is not a process that usually happens overnight," Blancarte said.

Blancarte explained that the attorney general in Quintana Roo, Mexico has to send a copy of the warrant and supporting evidence to the /*U.S. State Department*/. If the case meets extradition treaty requirements, the justice department would then check the validity of the evidence.

If it passes muster, then a provisional warrant would be issued to the /*FBI*/, which would then move to take Beresford-Redman into custody.

"I don't know the status of the warrant except for what I heard in the news," said Steven Martinez of the FBI.

For now, Beresford-Redman is home free, able to spend time with his kids. That time, though, may not be so intimate due to the media frenzy constantly surrounding his home.

Mexican authorities say there is a quirk in their law that will slow down the extradition process even more. Before they can seek to extradite anyone, they have to conduct a thorough search of their own country to make sure that the sought person is not there, even though video footage and photographs show that Bruce is in Southern California.

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