Generous drug magnate Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has promised he will not kill any of the jurors in his upcoming federal court trial.
El Chapo has argued that, since he won’t kill any of them, it’s unnecessary to keep jurors anonymous and under armed guard – as prosecutors have asked.
Mr Guzmán’s defence attorney, A. Eduardo Balarezo, recently filed a motion that states protective measures “send the message to each juror that he or she needs to be protected from Mr. Guzmán. From there, members of the jury could infer that Mr. Guzmán is both dangerous and guilty.”
Prosecutors have requested Brooklyn Federal Court Justice Brian Cogan to empanel an anonymous jury in the cartel leader’s September trial, citing his long history of violence and instances in which he’s believed to have tried to assassinate past witnesses.
They’ve also asked jurors be kept partially sequestered and subject to armed escort to and from a safe location during the trial.
The Netflix-famous Sinaloa Cartel leader faces charges including criminal enterprise and international cocaine trafficking.
Balarezo has downplayed “untested and suspect statements from cooperators seeking to reduce their own sentences” stating that the government is basing its fears on mere allegations of Guzmán’s violent behaviour.
The lawyer adds that instead of enlisting an anonymous jury, jurors names could just be kept from the kingpin and media could be barred from reporting their identities.
Cogan has yet to rule on the motion.
