Navy Officer Imprisoned in Japan Finally Returns Home to the US

US Navy officer Lt. Ridge Alkonis, who was imprisoned in Japan for negligent driving resulting in the death of two people, is being transferred back to the United States under an international prisoner convention. Alkonis' family argued that he was ill, not negligent, and offered over $1 million in restitution to the victims' families. The family had pushed for his transfer under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. Alkonis will go before the US parole commission to determine further confinement upon his return.