El Chapo Trial Day 2- EPN and Fox were on the payroll"

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat

Today prosecutors requested judge Cogan throw out the opening statement of the defense.  Reasons given is that defense strayed from speaking solely about “evidence that will be presented in trial” Judge Cogan reprimanded the defense without throwing out opening statements of the defense.

A point of contention was that Presidents of Mexico were on the cartel payroll.

The prosecution filed a motion overnight demanding that judge Brian M. Cogan strike the entire statement from the record, calling it “rife with impropriety” and based on “blatantly inadmissible hearsay.”  [read that filing below]

Said Lichtman; “This is a case that will require you to dismiss what you were taught to believe in about the way governments work and how they behave he continued  “This is a case which will require you to open your minds to the possibility that government officials at the very highest level can be bribed, can conspire to commit horrible crimes; that American law enforcement agents can also be crooked.”

This is supposed to be Chapo waving to Emma

“While the world focuses on this mythical Chapo figure, the world is not focusing on Mayo Zambada,” “That’s thanks to “hundreds of millions of dollars” in bribes paid to Enrique Peña Nieto, the current president of Mexico, and his predecessor Vicente Fox.”

Mr Lichtman said that Zambada had been left free because he "bribes the entire government of Mexico including up to the very top, the current president of Mexico," Enrique Pena Nieto.

Judge Cogan said defense went "far afield of direct or circumstantial proof."

Reportedly, Fox quickly tweeted out his innocence.

The office of President Enrique Pena Nieto called the allegations "completely false and defamatory." While former President Felipe Calderon dismissed them as "absolutely false and reckless."

Lichtman also asserted that Zambada’s brother and two sons were cooperating with prosecutors, and suggested the focus on Guzman might be to distract from Zambada.

Some of his objections defense presented in opening arguments:

(1) was out to get the defendant because of his status as a"mythical" figure;
(2)had chosen to prosecute the defendant ratherthan other drug traffickers, specifically, his codefendant IsmaelZambada Garcia; and
(3) had engaged in outrageous conductbecause it was so desperate to prosecute the defendant.

A few cooperative witnesses named by defense below from Mica:

• Miguel Angel Martinez, an ex-Mexican trafficker who he said had a 4-gram per day cocaine habit
• Alex Cifuentes, a Colombian narco who worked w/ the Medellin cartel
• Jorge Cifuentes, another Colombian trafficker
• Damaso Lopez, El Chapo's former right-hand man who helped him escape from prison
• Cesar Gastellum, another El Chapo lieutenant who allegedly paid bribes to Honduran government.

The complete list has not been made public, but I look for at least one woman to give testimony.  Guadalupe Valencia.  The money lady, who is schedule to have her change of plea hearing at months end.

Today if time allows will be testimony from two cooperative witnesses.

Government complaint

   El Chapo Trial Prosecution Objects to Defense Opening Statements by Chivis Martinez on Scribd

Defense reply:

   El Chapo Defense Reply on Motion to Strike on Opening Statements by Chivis Martinez on Scribd