Jurors flee Chapo
2 opt out as drug lord’s trial begins
Opening statements finally began Tuesday in the long-awaited trial of accused drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman — but not before two jurors begged off the case.
Prosecutors assigned to the Brooklyn federal court trial were getting ready to deliver their statements when a female juror suddenly handed the judge a doctor’s note asking that she be excused.
“I got a handwritten letter which details medical issues that have been brought about by her selection,” Judge Brian Cogan told lawyers on both sides.
“This person has been anxious and upset since selection’’ last week, Cogan said. “If I were to ask further questions, it will result in a breakdown and crying.”
The judge dismissed the woman — only to soon have a second juror complain that he’d lose out on income if he continued to serve despite being unemployed. The man was eventually dismissed as well.
Lawyers were forced to go through the painstaking process of selecting two more jurors to fill the empty spots before finally getting the chance to give their opening statements — nine years after Brooklyn prosecutors had indicted the accused drug lord (inset).
Prosecutors described some of Guzman’s most heinous acts for jurors, along with his weapons of choice.
“Some of his favorites include a diamond-encrusted handgun with his initials on it and a goldplated AK-47,” said federal prosecutor Adam Fels.
The fed recounted how Guzman, 61 — who is charged in a 17count indictment with funneling tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana into the United States — allegedly ordered hits on his own loved ones and used a small private army consisting of hundreds of men armed with assault rifles.
In one instance, Guzman “ordered the murder of one of his cousins simply because he was suspected of cooperating with authorities,” Fels said.
“Money, drugs, murder and a vast global narcotics trafficking organization — that is what this case is about,” Fels added. “And that is what the evidence in this case will prove.”
But Guzman’s dream team of lawyers claimed that prosecutors were trying to use their client as a “scapegoat.”
“There’s another side to this story, an uglier side,” said lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman.
He claimed that the Sinaloa Cartel’s real criminal mastermind is its current leader, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
“[Zambada] has been allowed to operate for the last 55 years because he pays for it,” Lichtman said. “He bribes the current president of Mexico, and for good measure, the previous one as well.”
Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon later tweeted, “The claims made by Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán’s lawyer are absolutely false and reckless. Neither he, nor the Sinaloa cartel nor any other made payments to me.”
Current President Enrique Peña Nieto also denied the claim.
At the end of the Tuesday morning session, Guzman appeared to be disoriented — and nearly stumbled out of the courtroom behind the last juror as they entered the jury room. An attentive marshal put out his arm to stop him and then directed him into his holding cell.