(Washington Insider Magazine) – On January 9, the East District Court of New York will begin the jury’s selection process to former Mexican Public Security Secretary, Genaro García Luna, who faces charges similar to those of “El Chapo” Guzmán.
NEW YORK.- Officially, on January 17 it is marked as the date for the start of the trial to the former Secretary of Public Security, Genaro García Luna, 54 years old, in the Court of the Eastern District of New York, but there are several intermediate processes.
García Luna is known as the leader of the so -called “War on Narco” during the government of Felipe Calderón, but had the greatest progress of him as a federal official in Mexico from the administration of Vicente Fox, both of the National Action Party (PAN) .
The Mexican policeman will face positions similar to those of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, in the same court of the court where he was accused, found guilty and sentenced.
A grand jury in Long Island, New York, found enough elements to point to García Luna and integrate two of his former collaborators Luis Cárdenas Palomino, who in 2008 was ironically appointed Intelligence Coordinator for the Prevention of the Crime of the Federal Police, and Ramón Little García, former chief of intelligence of that agency and investigated for helping to escape “El Chapo”.
The Accusations
There are five charges that García Luna faces, who is held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, less than 10 minutes away from the court where his trial will be.
The accusations are: (1) Leading a criminal organization for a long period, in this case from the Mexican federal government, this accusation is similar to that faced by “El Chapo” Guzmán and for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
In addition, García Luna is accused of (2) conspiracy for the distribution of cocaine in the US; (2) Conspiracy for the possession and distribution of cocaine in the US, and (4) conspiracy for the import of cocaine to the US.
The fifth position is for false testimony during the immigration process for the Green Card and naturalization before the Office of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
January 9th
On January 9, the 400 citizens called to participate in the integration of the jury will complete in the Court, anonymously, a questionnaire with 79 questions.
There are 200 people summoned in the morning and 200 more in the afternoon, but neither the prosecutors nor the defense of García Luna, that is, the lawyer César de Castro, are obliged to attend the process.
The prosecutors will be responsible for scanning all the questionnaires and distributing them to the lawyers involved in the process.
January 10
By January 10, prosecutors must return the original questionnaires to the Court, and also deliver a game of copies to the room of Judge Peggy Kuo, who will be responsible for the selection process.
It should be remembered that Judge Brian Cogan is the head of the process to García Luna, but Judge Kuo will be responsible for the jury process.
“The parties will review the questionnaires and agree (1) a list of jurors that are acceptable for both parties and (2) a list of jurors that both parties consider that they must be excluded,” says the court order.
January 13th
The two lists on possible jurors and those excluded will be sent by email to the Courtroom of Judge Kuo no later than 5:00 p.m.
Once this administrative process has passed, prosecutors and defense must appear on January 17 at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Kuo for jury selection.
January 17
“The jury members who are not excused and that both parties do not consider them acceptable will appear for more individual interrogations,” he said.
The Court indicates that 30 possible jury members will be summoned during the day, until there is a final selection.
Start of Trial
Strictly, the trial of García Luna begins with the jury selection, that is, on January 17. Once the process has passed, Judge Brian Cogan will determine the opening hearing.
In one of the previous hearings, Judge Cogan indicated that the process would last five weeks and occur from Monday to Thursday, although there is a session on Fridays, given the complexity of access to some of the cooperators and witnesses, as indicated by the Prosecutors.
This article is written by Jesus Garcia.