ITALY – Lee Gilley has been transferred to a new prison in Ivrea, Italy, in recent weeks after Italian media reports he was allegedly threatened by other inmates at the prison in Turin, according to reporting by la Repubblica.
Gilley, who turned 40 behind bars in Italy, appeared in a closed-door Italian courtroom Monday. The court has still not agreed to extradite him to the United States.
During the hearing, Gilley allegedly asked to return to the Turin prison, claiming it’s bigger and there’s room for more activities, but he was told no due to overcrowding, la Repubblica reported.
Four months since Gilley fled the U.S.
It has been four months since Gilley allegedly cut off his GPS monitor and left the country, reportedly using a fake name and forged travel documents. Prosecutors say he discussed detailed plans with a woman out of state about fleeing the country and obtaining a new identity.
He faces a capital murder charge in Harris County in the death of his wife, Christa Bauer. Prosecutors say he strangled Bauer at their home in the Heights. It has been nearly two years since she was killed.
Italian defense team raises new claims
Gilley’s Italian defense attorney told the media Monday that the strangulation marks on Bauer’s neck were the result of Gilley attempting to perform life-saving care after finding her unresponsive — not evidence of an attack.
The attorney, Monica Grosso, also said Bauer was suffering from a serious blood disorder. According to the defense, an autopsy allegedly revealed 76 percent of her blood cells had been compromised.
Harris County prosecutors maintain Gilley strangled Bauer and have filed documents detailing his alleged plans to flee.
Death penalty complicates extradition
Because Gilley is charged with a capital offense, he is technically eligible for the death penalty in Texas — though Harris County prosecutors have not indicated they intend to seek it.
Italy abolished capital punishment, and the Italian court has sought additional guarantees from the U.S. government on that issue. That assurance has been a key sticking point in the extradition case.
At the same time, Gilley’s request for asylum in Italy remains pending. No trial date has been set in Harris County.
It’s unclear when the Italian court could rule on the extradition.
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