US judge delays custody hearing for Andrew and Tristan Tate until late August
A Miami federal magistrate has postponed the hearing on whether the Tate brothers should remain detained pending their extradition to the United Kingdom, setting a new date for August 27.
A federal hearing in Miami that was scheduled for Thursday to decide if social-media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate will stay in custody while fighting extradition to the United Kingdom has been rescheduled for Aug. 27. U.S. Magistrate Lauren Louis will then question both the prosecution and defense before ruling on whether the brothers, who deny the allegations, should remain jailed or be released during the extradition process.
The twins have been held at a federal detention center in Miami since a brief court appearance two days after their July 18 arrest. Their lawyers argue that the brothers’ high public profile makes flight unlikely, noting that they regularly post location updates on social media.
Prosecutors contend that, given the serious UK charges of human trafficking and violent rape, as well as Romanian accusations of witness intimidation, the presumption against bail in international extradition cases should apply. They also claim the brothers pose a public-safety risk and are a flight risk, while the defense points to the Tates’ compliance with pre-trial conditions in Romania.
The United Kingdom has until mid-September to submit evidence to the U.S. State Department to support the extradition request, meaning the brothers could remain in the Miami detention facility for several months before a final decision is made. They are being held in a special protective-security unit.