US Court Rejects Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo's Appeal Against Life Sentence
El Chapo Guzman's wife was freed from jail in September, but she hasn't had access to his assets. The court also questioned where Guzman got the money to pay his attorneys.
US Court Rejects "El Chapo" Guzman's Appeal for Review of Life Sentence
Former Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has had his appeal for a review of his 2019 life sentence in a US court rejected. The decision comes after Guzman, who led the notorious Sinaloa cartel responsible for numerous deaths in Mexico, filed habeas corpus petitions seeking to evaluate the lawfulness of his imprisonment and requested legal representation for this appeal.
Judge Brian Cogan from the Eastern District of New York, who presided over Guzman's 2019 trial and conviction, issued the ruling denying the petition. Cogan emphasized the significance of Guzman's case, noting it as one of the most notorious criminal prosecutions of the decade. The ruling also dismissed arguments suggesting that Guzman's defense inadequately explored a plea bargain. Additionally, sealed evidence indicating Guzman's potential control over billions of dollars in assets, albeit not in his name, was cited as a factor in the decision.
Judge Cogan refuted the request for legal counsel, stating 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 questioned the origin of Guzman's funds to pay his legal fees and raised concerns about why his wife, released from prison in September, has not gained access to his assets.
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, aged 66, is currently serving a life sentence in a high-security Colorado prison known as the "Alcatraz of the Rockies." Known for escaping maximum-security prisons in Mexico, Guzman was deported to the United States in 2017 and convicted on drug trafficking charges in 2019.
Despite his imprisonment, the Sinaloa cartel, under the leadership of Guzman's four sons, remains one of Mexico's most powerful criminal organizations, alongside its rival, the Jalisco New Generation cartel. One of Guzman's sons has also been extradited to the United States.
