By Alex Veiga
Associated Press Writer
Thursday , April 13, 2000

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. –– Attorney General Janet Reno took an extraordinary step to resolve the Elian Gonzalez case Wednesday but failed to persuade his relatives to end the wrenching 4½-month custody struggle.

After meeting with Reno for 2½ hours, the boy's great-uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, defiantly said he would not relinquish custody of the boy.

"We will not turn this child over, not in Opa-locka, not in any 'locka,'" he said, referring to the government's suggestion that Elian be transferred at the airport in Opa-locka, outside Miami. "They will have to take this child from me by force."

Reno met with Lazaro Gonzalez, the boy's cousin, Marisleysis Gonzalez, and other relatives at the Miami Beach home of Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin, the nun who was host of a January meeting between Elian and his grandmothers from Cuba. Elian attended the meeting, moving from lap to lap at the table.

Reno said later she wanted the Miami relatives either to take Elian to a "neutral site" in the Washington area or to the Opa-locka airport at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Manny Diaz, an attorney for the family, said Reno and Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner heard ample evidence during the meeting that Elian does not want to go back to Cuba but refused to take that into account.

He said he would seek a federal court injunction to block the government from instructing the family how to hand Elian over.

Reno said she considered the points that had been raised.
 

                                    © 2000 The Associated Press