The US Prosecutor's Office asks to reject the request to postpone the sentence against García Luna
The United States accused the lawyers of Genaro García Lunaformer Secretary of Public Security in the six-year term of Felipe Calderón, who on July 1st asked the courts for more time to review new materials, having embarked on a Evidence “fishing expedition” and asked that their application be rejected.
"The defense should not be allowed to delay sentencing and take part in a year-long fishing expedition," the prosecution said in a letter to Judge Brian Cogan, who is presiding over the case.
García Luna's lawyer, César de Castro, asked Cogan last week to extend to the December 15 the deadline for the defense to file motions with a view to a possible repetition of the process.
De Castro argued that he needs time to review new "relevant" materials to probably request a repeat trial against the former official, convicted of drug trafficking this year.
Photo: The Law Firm Of César de Castro, PC (http://www.cdecastrolaw.com/)
Judgment date could be delayed until March 1, 2024
After the verdict, the defense had until April 7 to file motions, but the lawyer asked for an extra three months to review “new favorable evidence” provided by “law enforcement officers” from Mexico and the US, among others, and now he anticipates the expiration of that term to redouble his arguments.
De Castro told the judge that "as more people learn about the nature of the evidence against García Luna, even more former officials" are providing "information that they believe could have been useful to the defense."
Specifically, in the last month, the lawyers of the former Secretary of Public Security have received "thousands of pages of material, audio and video files” that they had “never seen”but De Castro qualifies that most are in Spanish, so the team's language limitations are "delaying" their review.
"We understand that this cannot be an indefinite process, however, the materials we have received are directly relevant to the case and many are materials from law enforcement," he urged.
If this new request for postponement is accepted, the judgment datescheduled for September 27, could be delayed until March 1, 2024.
Photo: Reuters
Defense of Garcia Luna he had more than three years to speak to witnesses
The Prosecutor's Office asks Cogan to reject the request and emphasizes that García Luna's team of lawyers he had more than three years to speak to witnessesissue subpoenas and investigate possible defenses.
In addition, he maintains that he has not offered any type of information about the "alleged witnesses" or about the provenance of the documents received.
García Luna found guilty in February
García Luna, 54, was convicted in February of participating in the management of a criminal enterprise whose activity continues to this day; conspiracy for the distribution of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; conspiracy for the distribution and possession of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute it in the US and conspiracy to import the same amount or more.
The fifth offense was to lend false testimony to the US authorities when you applied for citizenship.
For any of the first four charges, it could be sentenced to life in prison. (EFE)
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