New York court postpones ‘El Mayo’ Zambada hearing – DW – 10/16/2024

Judge Brian M. Cogan, who presided over the case against Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in federal court in New York, authorized this Tuesday (10/15/2024) a request from the Prosecutor’s Office to the hearing against canceling the coalition. who founded the Cartel for one day.

The hearing against the Mexican ‘capo’, which was originally scheduled for October 31st and was moved forward to Thursday, October 17th, is now scheduled for this Friday, October 18th at 11:00 am on the coast of east America.

If this date is kept, the hearing against ‘El Mayo’, which could be the first of a hypothetical trial in which even the death penalty is not ruled out, would be ‘ happened two days after the Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna met. his sentence in that same court.

The person presiding over the sentence against García Luna is the judge Cogan, who already sentenced Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán to life imprisonment in 2019 and will lead the trial against ‘El Mayo ‘ Zambada this Friday in the Eastern District federal court. of New York (with headquarters in Brooklyn).

They pleaded not guilty to 17 charges

‘El Mayo’ pleaded not guilty on September 13 in that court to 17 charges, including conspiracy to murder, drug trafficking, membership in a criminal enterprise and possession of weapons.

Although New York law states that the hearing must begin within 60 days of the defendant’s initial appearance, trial judge James R. Cho made an exception in this case because of its complexity. what it was and the abundance of documents for the study.

“Mr. Zambada has been, and could be, one of the biggest and most dangerous drug traffickers in the world who, with his narcotics trade and the violence of his criminal enterprise, took part in bribery, torture and murder of civilians and cartel members,” said Francisco Navarro, Brooklyn federal court prosecutor, on September 13.

Zambada could even face the death penalty – despite being exonerated in New York state in 2004 – if the federal government deems him a key player in the Sinaloa Cartel. , a key actor in the fentanyl overdose crisis in the United States The United States, committed serious crimes such as mass murder or terrorist crimes.

jc (efe, Milenio)