LI Network
Published on: December 28, 2023 at 13:57 IST
In a recent development, a U.S. Court has rejected the appeal submitted by former Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, seeking a review of the 2019 ruling that sentenced him to life in prison.
Guzman, who once headed the notorious Sinaloa cartel, responsible for numerous deaths in Mexico, had filed habeas corpus petitions, which are civil suits used to evaluate the lawfulness of imprisonment. Additionally, he requested legal representation during this appeal process.
Judge Brian Cogan, from the Eastern District of New York, presiding over the case, emphasized the high-profile nature of the criminal prosecution, noting that the charges could have resulted in the death penalty if not for the terms of extradition.
The ruling dismisses arguments that Guzman’s defense inadequately explored a plea bargain and refers to sealed evidence suggesting that he still controls assets amounting to billions of dollars, even if not in his name.
Judge Cogan also rejected the request for legal counsel, pointing out that Guzman had already received assistance from Mariel Colon Miro, a lawyer who has represented both Guzman and his wife in recent years. Colon has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The judge raised questions about the source of funds for Guzman’s legal representation and the lack of access to his assets by his wife, who was released from prison in September.
Currently serving a life sentence in a Colorado prison, known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” Guzman, 66, endures 23 hours of solitary confinement each day. After escaping twice from maximum-security prisons in Mexico, he was deported to the United States in 2017 and convicted on drug trafficking charges in 2019.
Despite his incarceration, the Sinaloa cartel, under Guzman’s four sons’ leadership, remains one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations, alongside its main rival, the Jalisco New Generation cartel. One of Guzman’s sons has also been extradited to the United States.