One of the US' most wanted sex offenders -- accused of raping his daughter and posting the film on the Internet -- intends to contest his extradition, police said yesterday.
Kenneth Freeman, who was arrested by Hong Kong officers at the border on Tuesday, made his first appearance in the city's court yesterday, handcuffed and guarded by four police.
The bodybuilder did not speak in court and magistrate Garry Tallentire adjourned the hearing until July 3 to allow US authorities time to send evidence for an extradition request.
Freeman, a former policeman, has been remanded in custody.
Tobi Lothian, detective senior inspector in Hong Kong, said Freeman is contesting the extradition.
"He has indicated that he will contest the surrender ... he wants to see the evidence against him," he said. "At the moment, we are proceeding on the basis that he's contesting it."
Once evidence from the US arrived, Freeman's lawyer will decide whether he will still contest the proceedings, Lothian said.
Freeman was represented by a duty lawyer here yesterday. It was unclear if he will arrange his own legal representation for the case.
Freeman, who is on the US Marshals' 15 most wanted fugitive list, arrived on a bus from China on Tuesday before being arrested at the Lok Ma Chau, a border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Lothian would not comment on where in China the bus was traveling from and would only say that Freeman, 45, had worked there and been in the country for almost a year while on the run.
Lothian said the American was traveling on his US passport stating his own name. He scuffled with four police officers during the arrest, causing minor injuries to himself and the officers.
The US Marshals Service had said they had previously known that Freeman was in China but as no extradition treaty exists between the two countries, they had to wait until he left before they could capture him.
There is such a treaty between the US and Hong Kong.
Freeman was accused of molesting and videotaping sex acts with his daughter. According to the US Marshals Service in Washington, the grisly video was one of the most downloaded items of child pornography on the Internet.
Freeman, described as a computer expert, went on the run last year after child pornography charges were filed against him.
There was no information on whether he had committed similar crimes in China, Lothian said.
Freeman is wanted on multiple counts of child rape in the first degree, as well as federal charges of manufacturing, possessing, and distributing child pornography.
Freeman's daughter, now a teenager, went public about her ordeal on the hit TV crime show America's Most Wanted, allowing investigators to link the crime with her father, officials said.
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