Narvin Lichfield, a U.S. man accused of violating the rights of U.S. teens sent to his tough-love, behavior modification camp for troubled youth in western Costa Rica, did not face trial last week as scheduled because of a delay in another trial.
According to Judicial Branch spokeswoman Sandra Castro, a homicide trial under way at the First Circuit Criminal Court in Alajuela, northwest of San José, has been extended. Lichfield’s trial, scheduled for Sept. 26-29 in the same court, has now been rescheduled for Feb. 20-23, 2007, Castro told The Tico Times.
While supporters of Lichfield and his program say Dundee Ranch Academy outside the Pacific-slope town of Orotina was a place where out-of-control adolescents where molded into obedient and responsible citizens, others have alleged abuse and torture (TT, July 21).
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