Chapo jurors are far from a verdict after week one

The Brooklyn jury tasked with deciding whether or not to convict Mexican druglord Joaquin (El Chapo) Guzman Loera capped off one week of deliberations seemingly far from reaching a verdict.

Chapo, who sported a navy blue suit, striped blue tie, and a light blue shirt to his trial on Monday at Brooklyn Federal Court, listened intently as an interpreter translated Judge Brian Cogan’s reading of the latest round of questions presented by the jury.

“Does a violation have to be proven or not proven unanimously?” a note sent out at approximately 3 p.m. read.

The top count against Guzman — leading a continuing criminal enterprise (CCE) — contains 27 violations that include murder conspiracy and charges related to international distribution of cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

To find Chapo guilty of CCE, which carries a mandatory sentence of life without parole, jurors must unanimously find him guilty of at least three violations included in the count.

Monday’s notes suggested the jury could be having difficulty agreeing on some of the top charges listed in the lengthy verdict sheet.

Specifically, jurors also asked Monday to hear testimony from former Drug Enforcement Administration agent Scott Schoonover, who took the stand in early December to testify about four cocaine shipments seized between 2004 and 2008.

The court also provided jurors with testimony from Coast Guard Lt. Clifton Harrison, who testified about three of the same cocaine seizures during the trial.

The jury will return to court Tuesday to resume deliberations.