Attorney: Accused Nazi from Philadelphia has died

AP logo
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
VIDEO: Philly man and accused Nazi guard gets bail
An 89-year-old Nazi war crimes suspect who was jailed while awaiting extradition to Germany has been granted bail after being hospitalized.

PHILADELPHIA -- The lawyer for a suspected Nazi war crimes suspect says the 89-year-old Philadelphia man has died while awaiting extradition to Germany.

Attorney Dennis Boyle told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Johann Breyer died Tuesday night at a Philadelphia hospital.

The revelation came on the same day a judge issued an order granting a request for Breyer to be extradited to Germany to face trial. It was still subject to U.S. government approval.

The U.S. attorney's office said it didn't have any information yet on Breyer's status.

German prosecutors had hoped to try Breyer on charges of aiding in the murder of more than 200,000 Jews at the Auschwitz death camp.

Breyer had said he was forced to work there as a guard in his teens.

The retired toolmaker was arrested at his home last month and had been in federal custody.