Haiti judge says he likely to order release of Americans detained in orphan case after hearing

Haiti judge: Likely to order Americans released

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A Haitian judge says he will likely order the release of the last two Americans detained for trying to take 33 children out of the country after the earthquake.

Judge Bernard Saint-Vil tells The Associated Press he expects to resolve the case after a hearing Tuesday.

Saint-Vil said Monday he plans to have missionaries Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter in court for the closed hearing. He will also take testimony from people who were helping them set up an orphanage in the Dominican Republic.

The judge says he is close to being able to resolve the case and will probably order the release of Silsby and Coulter.

Eight other Americans detained with them have already been released.