‘El Chapo’ Jury Deliberations Extend into Fourth Day, Reports Reuters

By Brendan Pierson and Gabriella Borter

Jury deliberations in the U.S. trial of accused Mexican drug cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman were anticipated to extend into a fourth day after jurors requested to review extensive testimony from critical prosecution witnesses.

Guzman, 61, faces charges of trafficking significant quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine into the United States as the head of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. He has escaped from prison in Mexico twice, and if convicted, could receive a life sentence in a U.S. prison.

The 11-week trial in federal court in Brooklyn has provided an unprecedented glimpse into the operations of the cartel, named for the region in northwestern Mexico where Guzman was born into poverty.

The defense contends that Guzman has been set up as a “fall guy” by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a Sinaloan drug kingpin still at large.

On Wednesday afternoon, jurors requested to review the testimonies of Zambada’s brother, Jesus “El Rey” Zambada, his son Vicente Zambada, and Guzman’s former top lieutenant, Damaso Lopez. U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan informed them that they would receive transcripts of the testimonies as soon as they were prepared.

All three witnesses have pleaded guilty to U.S. charges and agreed to testify against Guzman, detailing his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

The jurors also inquired whether murders of cartel members by members of a rival cartel for personal motivations classified as “drug trafficking crimes.” One of the ten criminal counts against Guzman includes the accusation that he conspired to murder cartel adversaries. The jury did not specify whether their question pertained to any particular case.

Cogan instructed the jurors that if a cartel member was killed for “wholly personal” reasons unrelated to drug trafficking, such an act would not be considered a drug trafficking crime.

The 12 jurors appeared relaxed and even cheerful as they entered the courtroom to receive Cogan’s instructions.

Earlier, they had requested to review the testimonies of two other cooperating witnesses, Colombian drug traffickers Jorge and Alex Cifuentes, as well as portions of Jesus Zambada’s testimony regarding methamphetamine production.

The jurors adjourned from court around 4:15 p.m. EST on Wednesday and were expected to return at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, having begun their deliberations early Monday afternoon.