The Department of Justice is studying a 32-page ruling by a West Virginia judge denying the extradition of Rev George Exoo (65) for assisting a suicide in Ireland five years ago.
Judge Clarke VanDervort ruled that Mr Exoo, a Unitarian minister, cannot be extradited because assisting suicide is not a crime under federal or West Virginia law and is not an offence in 25 of the 50 states in the US.
"While Mr Exoo's conduct may be viewed as wrong, and very highly improper by most if not all of us, it is generally not recognised as criminal here in the United States," Mr VanDervort said.
Mr Exoo, who has returned to his congregation in Lewisburg, West Virginia, yesterday urged the Government to consider changing its laws on assisted suicide.
"People really want this kind of thing and I think the Irish authorities ought to be sensitive to that and ought to be thinking more seriously about changing their laws rather than trying to come down strong on the people who have tried to help people in the past," he told The Irish Timesyesterday.
US prosecutors had argued that Mr Exoo be sent to face trial in Ireland, where he is charged with assisting a 2002 suicide.
Unless Ireland withdraws its extradition request, federal agents could arrest Mr Exoo and make another attempt to extradite him if he travels to one of the 25 states that prohibits assisted suicide.
Mr Exoo spent four months in jail while the court considered his extradition, but he said yesterday that he bore no ill will towards the Irish authorities.
"I was working very hard on forgiving everybody, so I truly have no animosity towards them. They were just playing the role they had to play."
Mr Exoo is charged with assisting the suicide of Rosemary Toole in Dublin, who ended her life by taking pills and inhaling helium in 2002. He insisted yesterday that Ms Toole had made detailed preparations for her death and that his role was simply to pray with her as she took her life.
"She knew what to do. I didn't have to tell her what to do." he said. "She just did it all. I stayed there and supported her and prayed with her. That's what I did."