Are Missouri authorities required to return an accused person to Arizona for trial?

The correct answer is rooted in the principles established by the Constitution in Article IV, specifically under the Extradition Clause. This clause mandates that if a person is charged with a crime in one state and subsequently flees to another state, the state they have fled to is obligated to return them to the state that issued the charge.

Therefore, Missouri authorities have a legal duty to comply with a request for extradition from Arizona if that individual is accused of a crime there. This reinforces the notion of cooperation among states and ensures that individuals cannot evade legal consequences simply by crossing state lines. The extradition process involves formal procedures and often requires that both the state seeking extradition and the state holding the accused adhere to the relevant statutes and agreements, but fundamentally, the requirement is established by the Constitution.

In contrast, other choices do not fully capture the legal framework established for interstate extradition. For instance, asserting that extradition is not required under federal law fails to recognize the explicit constitutional mandate. The idea that extradition would occur only if a previous conviction existed overlooks that extradition can take place based on charges, not just convictions. Lastly, implying that both states must agree for extradition overlooks the obligation incurred by the state to which the accused has fled