Cienfuegos case: US prosecutors want to keep part of the “Godfather” trial secret, but the judge wants to know why

A resolution prior to the hearing on Wednesday, November 18, removed the case of Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, because the United States prosecutors want part of the records in the trial to be kept secret. Given this, the Judge Carol Bagley Amon asked for a more detailed explanation or will open the legal seats.

Cienfuegos Zepeda is imprisoned in New York, where your case lies in the Eastern District Court. The former Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) is accused of four charges related to drug trafficking and will have an appearance, as the formal start of his trial, at 10:00 a.m. (local time) this Wednesday, November 18.

But now, Suddenly, it was announced that the US Attorney’s Office intends to keep legal entries 20 and 21 sealed. Beagley Amon, who will lead the criminal case against the retired general this Wednesday, requested an explanation in this regard before 5:00 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday, November 17, as does not understand what motivations are behind this request.

“The Court does not understand the need to temporarily seal seats 20 and 21. Unless a more complete explanation is provided before 5:00 pm today, the Court will order that seats be opened.”Is the resolution published on the Cienfuegos case.

“The Court also orders that the request in Documents 20 and 21 be signed by Acting United States Attorney Seth DuCharme and that Mr. DuCharme appear at the State Conference on November 18, 2020.”

According to the schedule of the Eastern District Court of New York, this November 18 Cienfuegos Zepeda will appear before Judge Carol Bagley Amon, in room 10 DS at 10:00 in the morning, local time. Through a face-to-face procedure, criminal case 19cr00366 will be dealt with.

This will be the fourth hearing of the former head of the Sedena. After last November 5, at the arraignment, the general pleaded not guilty to three crimes of conspiracy to manufacture, import, and distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, plus a money laundering indictment.

Steven M. Gold led the appearance on November 5, already in New York, there the judge accepted, at the request of the defense, that the period of 70 days for the evidence to be collected began on November 18.

During the week prior to the start of the trial, various information has circulated about the Cienfuegos case.

On November 10, it was announced that the former head of the Sedena was in talks with the New York Prosecutor’s Office to reach a plea deal. Through his attorney, Edward Sapone, and with prosecuting party Ryan C. Harris, a request was sent to Judge Steven M. Gold to the time between November 5 and 18, was excluded from the calculation of the period in which the trial of the charges must begin. That document emphasized that, if an agreement was not reached, there would be more possibilities to prepare the process.

According to this version, Cienfuegos would accept certain charges and dismiss others, in order not to reach the trial. In return, he would offer information on those involved and could reduce his sentence. But no more has been updated on the subject.

Then, on Saturday, November 14, a letter signed by Rafael Heredia Rubio, lawyer for the former head of the Sedena. This advisor communicated that his client is not agreeing with the US Attorney, because the general stands firm in his “innocence”.

Information in development ….

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