The U.S. Justice Department indicated that it may no longer feel bound by extradition orders from other countries against the seeking of the death penalty in the U.S., a significant policy shift that experts feel could hinder international relations. In a preliminary case memo by federal District Court Judge Jack Weinstein, it was noted that a federal prosecutor had stated that officials in Washington believe a Dominican judge’s order to not seek the death penalty for an extradited man is “not binding.” Weinstein’s memo stated that he believes the U.S. should honor the extradition order to not seek a capital conviction, as it has in all previous orders issued by extraditing nations. Although the Justice Department later announced that it would not seek the death penalty against the defendant, Weinstein has insisted that federal prosecutors provide further explanation of their assertion. A Justice Department spokeswoman said that “as a matter of procedure” all federal death penalty decisions are reviewed by department officials in Washington and that “in this specific case” officials decided not to seek the death penalty. Hofstra University law professor Eric Freedman noted: “If the countries of the world are to be left in doubt on this point, I would expect you are not going to see extraditions until that doubt is removed.” (New York Times, June 19, 2004) See International Death Penalty.