48-year fugitive fighting move from Connecticut to Georgia

DANBURY, Conn. – A Connecticut man who spent 48 years on the lam after escaping from prison is expected to fight an attempt to return him to Georgia.

Seventy-one-year-old Robert Stackowitz is set to appear in state court in Danbury for an extradition hearing Tuesday.

His lawyer, Norman Pattis, has said they will try to fight his return to Georgia, where he fled a prison work camp in Carrolton in 1968 while serving a 17-year sentence for robbery. Pattis says Stackowitz has major health problems including heart failure and bladder cancer, and any prison time would amount to a death sentence.

Connecticut officials have denied Stackowitz’s requests to refuse to return him to Georgia.

Stackowitz was arrested May 9 at his Sherman home after his Social Security application turned up a fugitive warrant.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.