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JACKSONVILLE (AP) — The wife of a Marine charged with murdering a pregnant colleague has been allowed to visit her husband in a Mexican jail, a North Carolina prosecutor said today.

Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson said the Marine Corps granted leave Nov. 3 to 17 to Lance Cpl. Christina Laurean to visit her husband, Cpl. Cesar Laurean, 21.

Cesar Laurean is charged with first-degree murder in the December death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, 20, of Vandalia, Ohio, who had accused him of rape. He fled a day before Lauterbach's body and that of her unborn child were found buried in his backyard. He is fighting extradition.

Christina Laurean has cooperated with authorities and refused her husband's pleas for help before he was caught, officials said. Hudson said that in most cases a spouse cannot be forced to testify at a trial.

Hudson said he didn't know if the trip would affect Christina Laurean's willingness to cooperate. He also said Mexican jails allow prisoners a conjugal visit on their birthday - Cesar Laurean's is Nov. 13.

"Christina Laurean's request for leave was carefully reviewed by the appropriate authorities in the Marine Corps and it was decided that her request had to be allowed," Hudson said. "It wasn't a decision they made lightly."

The prosecutor said the Marines assured him they are maintaining contact with Christina Laurean while she is in Mexico and are confident she will return. She traveled alone and the Laureans' child stayed in Onslow County, Hudson said.

Early in the case, Hudson said he wouldn't seek the death penalty so Mexico could send Laurean back to the United States. Mexico won't extradite someone if that person faces capital punishment.

Now, Hudson said, the Mexican government is balking because Laurean faces a sentence of life without parole.

"If you take that off the table, there is no punishment," Hudson said.

Cesar Laurean's defense lawyer, Dick McNeil, also said he could not gauge the impact of the visit on the case.

McNeil, who joined Hudson at a news conference, said his client has had several visits from his family and talked to his wife on the phone. McNeil has said his client would plead not guilty.

"He is eager to see his wife and I am sure he is very happy she is down there," McNeil said.

He described the extradition process as a waiting game.

"This is above our pay grade," McNeil said. "This deals with the Mexican government and the United States government. You'd think the federal government would have a clue what was going on down there."

Christina Laurean's attorney, Chris Welch, watched the news conference but left without commenting.