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What Really Happens When Murders Occur on International Waters? · Murder Files Unsealed

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  Speaker 1: The expansive and shadowy waters might appear to be an
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  ideal location for committing an afarious act of murder. However,
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  those who engage in such crimes are not exempt from
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  legal consequences. Even if a murder occurs far from the
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  shores of the United States, federal prosecutors often retain the
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  authority to bring charges against the offenders. To gain further
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  insight into the management of these distinctive cases, oxygen dot
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  Com consulted with Professor Stephen Friedell of Rutger's Law, who
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  specializes in maritime law, who has jurisdiction to prosecute crimes
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  in international waters. The United States does not possess the
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  authority to prosecute every crime occurring on every vessel in
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  international waters. As explained by Fredell, prosecution typically requires the
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  involvement of an American individual or a ship associated with
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  the unit Led States, unless international law provides otherwise. The
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  concept known as the special maritime and Territorial jurisdiction of
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  the United States permits intervention when a crime is committed
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  outside any nation's jurisdiction, provided that the offense involves a
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  US national. Such offenses encompass a range of serious crimes,
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  including murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, rape, assault, and robbery. Fredell noted
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  that complications often arise when multiple countries assert jurisdiction. For example,
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  many ships are governed by the laws of the nation
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  where they are registered, referred to as the vessel's flag state.
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  In the case of large passenger ships such as cruise liners,
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  very few are registered under US flags. Fredell further elaborated
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  that overlapping jurisdictions can lead to negotiations, particularly if the
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  vessel is flagged in countries like France or Norway, as
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  those nations would likely seek to assert their priority in
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  such matters. While federal authorities typically handle prosecutions in cases
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  where US jurisdiction is established, state jurisdiction applies when a
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  crime occurs within three nautical miles of the coastline. When
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  it's a foreign vessel and someone commits murder in the
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  port of New York, then New York State would have
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  the jurisdiction. But again the foreign country might say, no,
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  that's our vessel, and there might be some negotiations. Friedel said,
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  major crime incidents rare at sea spokesperson says, however, this
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  does not imply that everyone can evade justice for murder.
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  In two thousand and six, when Mickey Kensaki vanished during
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  what she anticipated would be a perfect Mediterranean getaway with
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  her ex husband Lonikoconti's, the FBI intervened to investigate the situation.
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  Coconte's was ultimately tried and found guilty of her murder,
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  as reported by Dateline Unforgettable. Similarly, Kenneth Manzanares, a father
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  from Utah, received a thirty year sentence in June twenty
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  twenty one for the brutal killing of his wife, Christie Manzanares,
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  aboard the Emerald Princess Cruise ship in waters near southeast Alaska.
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  No justification can excuse the brutality exhibited by this individual,
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  who will now face three decades in prison, stated Robert Britt,
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  special Agent in charge of the FBI Anchorage Field Office,
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  in a press release regarding the sentencing. The FBI dedicated
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  significant effort alongside our partners to insure justice for Christie,
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  a cherished mother, daughter, sister, and friend. While justice has
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  been achieved, the enduring effect trauma inflicted on Christie's family
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  will never be undone. Our thoughts remain with Christie's family
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  and her community. Kenneth was discovered deceased in his prison
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  cell the following month, as reported by CNN, The unique
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  nature of a crime scene aboard a cruise ship does
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  not preclude federal authorities from conducting investigations in a manner
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  similar to those on land. It is essential to gather evidence,
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  which may include physical evidence, as well as to identify witnesses,
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  stated fredell Anne Madison, a representative for the Cruise Lines
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  International Association, emphasized to USA Today earlier this year that
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  significant crimes occurring on cruise ships are more the exception
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  than the norm, asserting that cruise travel is a secure
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  option with multiple layers of security and the inherent characteristics
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  of cruising. Cruise ships rank among the Seine saphest vacation
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  choices globally, exhibiting rates of serious crimes that are significantly
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  lower than those found on land. She remarked, cruise lines
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  maintain a zero tolerance stance regarding criminal activities, and reports
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  of serious crimes on cruise ships are exceedingly uncommon. Challenges
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  may also arise when a crime takes place in international
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  waters where no nation asserts jurisdiction in twenty fifteen, Ian Urbina,
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  a journalist for the New York Times, discussed his comprehensive
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  investigation into maritime crimes within the shipping industry during an
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  interview with PBS News Hour. He noted that in certain cases,
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  there is a lack of interest in pursuing investigations into
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  these incidents. There is no interested party that has the
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  wherewithal to prosecute or investigate