An unprecedented trial was held in Brooklyn during the first two months of 2023, a former Mexican police chief was being tried for his ties to drug trafficking, his former organized crime collaborators testified against him, a lot of information was given and the jury asked to review some testimonies or specific parts of them.
Genaro García Luna He has been the Mexican man with the highest rank in a government entity to be tried in the United States, the media was attentive to the way in which one of the most high-profile trials was carried out, since it also represented the fall of the one known as “Super Police.” ”.
After listening to all parties, witnesses, prosecutors and defense, The jury deliberated for three days until reaching the guilty verdict.what was said between them, what they talked about and what they requested were the big unknowns for everyone, but finally the Mexican newspaper Milenio cleared up one of them by having access to the notes that the members wrote.
In order to have a better overview and remember precisely what they heard at the trial, they asked to read the transcripts of some witnesses and they did so through written notes that came out of the deliberation room. The requests were specific, as they needed to refresh certain points.
What testimony did the jury request?
The declaration of Sergio Villarreal Barraganalias “El Grande”, operator of Arturo Beltran Levyawas the jury’s first request. On February 16, they requested a transcript of alleged payments to Mexican authorities in the Port of Manzanillo, Colima, to recover cocaine seizures.
According to El Grande, the cartel produced fake cocaine with flour and other products to exchange it for the real thing and disguise the recovery of its products.
They also wanted to recall the details about a Harley Davidson motorcycle that Arturo Beltrán Leyva gave to García Luna in exchange for favors to facilitate the transfer of cocaine.
Other testimonies from former drug traffickers that they asked to review were that of Oscar Nava Valencia, alias “El Lobo”, about the kidnapping of García Luna by orders of El Barbas, to force him to work in his favor. A day later they also requested the testimony of Harold Povedaalias “Rabbit”, about that deprivation of liberty.
Something that caught attention in the trial was what El Grande said about the credentials and license plates he obtained from the Federal Investigation Agency when García Luna was the owner; the jury asked to reread that part.
They also reviewed the places where the man on trial and his then right-hand man, the former head of the Police Intelligence Division, Luis Cardenas Palominomet with Mexican drug lords.
Israel Avilathe counter of the Beltrán Leyva Cartelsaid that he himself created accounting books in which the bribes to the “Super Police” were detailed, which were recorded under the pseudonym “stutterer.”
Miguel Madrigala DEA agent, also testified, what he said was another of the things the jury asked for, they wanted to know the way in which El Grande told him about García Luna’s links with organized crime shortly after his arrest.
Jesus Reynaldo Zambada GarcíaThe King, testified against the former Secretary of Security of Mexico, the jury wanted to review again what was said about the payment of bribes in a restaurant in a luxury area of Mexico City, as well as the telephone calls between the two, where the Mexican confirmed institutional protection for the Sinaloa Cartel.
The last request was made on February 21, the jury requested the testimonies of Conejo and El Rey Zambada about the seizure of two submarines loaded with cocaine by the United States Coast Guard.
After reviewing everything described – as well as what was said by the defense and prosecutors – the jury reached a verdict: guilty of the five charges related to conspiracy to traffic cocaine and lying to immigration authorities.
Keep reading:
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– The sentencing of Genaro García Luna was postponed to June.