A US federal judge on Tuesday strictly limited the release of information relating to the trial of Mexican former drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, citing security reasons.
Judge Brian Cogan also ruled that any foreigner who wants to join Guzman’s defense team must receive prior court approval before accessing material linked to the case.
Guzman, 59, is accused of running the Sinaloa criminal syndicate, one of the world’s most powerful drug empires.
He escaped twice from prison in Mexico, and has been held in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan since being extradited on January 19.
The man who for years was the world’s most wanted drug trafficker has pleaded not guilty to a raft of firearms, drug trafficking and conspiracy charges.
“The risk presented by permitting foreign nationals, whether attorneys, investigators, or others who could be members or associates of the Sinaloa Cartel, to join the defense counsel’s team without appropriate vetting is significant, thus, this prior approval requirement is necessary,” the judge ruled.
Cogan gave the prosecution 14 days to designate a “firewall attorney” that would vet any foreign member of Guzman’s team in order to prevent the presence of a “potential spy in the defense camp.”
The judge’s order also limits publication of incriminatory material in the trial, because it could connect “testifying witness with this case, suggesting that he is a potential witness or cooperator, thus raising the most serious security concerns.”
Guzman is being defended by two attorneys who belong to a non-profit group that defends poor people accused of federal crimes. He wants to access private funds so that he can appoint his own attorneys.
If Guzman stands trial and is convicted, he is likely to spend the rest of his life in a maximum security US prison.
Prosecutors are also seeking to obtain a $14 billion criminal forfeiture order against him.
Guzman’s defense attorneys have rejected the judge’s limitations, and have asked for improved conditions for their client, who they say has breathing difficulties and is suffering from hallucinations.
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