'El Chapo' upbeat as jury deliberations expected to enter second week

By Brendan Pierson

 

Emma Coronel Aispuro, the wife of Joaquin Guzman, the Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo", exits the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse, during the trail in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., February 7, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Accused Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman appeared cheerful as the jury in his U.S. trial ended its first week of deliberations on Thursday without reaching a verdict, grinning broadly as he hugged and bumped fists with his lawyers.

 

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan dismissed the 12 weary-looking jurors from federal court in Brooklyn at about 4:15 p.m. (2115 GMT) They will resume deliberating on Monday morning.

 

Guzman, 61, is accused of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine into the United States as leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. He twice escaped from prison in Mexico. If convicted in the United States, he could face life in prison.

 

The defence has argued Guzman was set up as a "fall guy" by Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a Sinaloan drug kingpin who remains at large. Despite Guzman's upbeat demeanour on Thursday, there has been no sign of what way the jury will decide.

 

Earlier in the afternoon, the jury sent a note asking to review the testimony of one a key prosecution witness, Juan Carlos "Chupeta" Ramirez, concerning a series of alleged cocaine shipments codenamed "Juanitas."

 

Ramirez, who has pleaded guilty to U.S. charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, testified that he sold Guzman tons of cocaine for export to the United States.

 

Cogan told the jurors that a transcript of the testimony would be ready for them by Monday.

 

Ramirez was one of more than 50 witnesses who testified during the 11-week trial, which offered the public an unprecedented look into the inner workings of the cartel, named for the state in northwestern Mexico where Guzman was born.

 

Since they began deliberating Monday afternoon, the jurors have asked to review days of testimony from several witnesses, mostly from former associates of Guzman who agreed to testify against him after striking deals to cooperate with U.S. authorities.

 

The jurors must decide deliver a verdict on 10 criminal counts, one of which consists of 27 criminal violations. The charges include engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, international drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy.

 

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-08

 

A post containing off topic trolling comments about Trump has been removed. 

In Kiki's memory, I hope he is convicted. He is just as bad as the other "bad hombres".

Second week is a good thing for him. I expected the jury to come back after 7 minutes not 7 days 

I wonder if he ever considered to hide in Pattaya?

Now there is indeed a bad hombre I’m sure the jurors must be terrified of reprisals 

is he paying off the jurors familys?

5 minutes ago, yogavnture said:

is he paying off the jurors familys?

That they are deliberating into the 2nd week, I would assume he is yes. But El Chapo and these other Central American gangsters are just off the charts in brutality. He will have made hugely generous rewards to the jurors and families, and then appalling threats. It is a no win situation for the hapless jurors, and El Chapo's deviousness is far beyond the imaginations of the plodding US judicial administrators. He can run rings around them all.

 I suspect El Chapo will get off scott free and be reunited with his wives and the rest of his harem in no time.

hung jury?

I hope he is released. I'd love another El Chapo series to watch on Netflix ????

What does the jury need 2 weeks of deliberations for? Or does it take some time to figure out/feign an acquittal. 

What does the jury need 2 weeks of deliberations for? Or does it take some time to figure out/feign an acquittal. 

He knows the juries faces and probably names. He is a brutal man and don't think the jury wants that cloud over them.