transcends that The king Zambada will be the star witness
in García Luna’s trial
david brooks
Correspondent
Newspaper La Jornada
Monday February 13, 2023, p. 5
New York., Everything indicates that the star witness
end of the prosecution in the trial of Genaro García Luna will be Jesus The king Zambada García, although defense lawyers seek to stop or postpone his appointment in Court.
In a document in which the witness’s name is blacked out, the defense argues that the prosecution has failed in its duty to submit reports on interviews with cooperating witnesses.
It points out that in at least 18 meetings from 2022 to date, prosecutors only shared notes on two interviews with the defense.
It is still unknown, until Judge Brian Cogan decides, if the witness’s appearance will be postponed based on these arguments.
Key role
The name of the witness has officially remained secret, but it came out due to an error in the attempt to cross it out and in the record before the Court: it is the The king Zambada, brother of Ismael the may Zambada, who was a key witness in Joaquín’s trial El Chapo Guzmán Loera, in that same court and before the same judge.
The king Zambada was extradited to the United States in 2012. As a government cooperating witness, he testified in the trial against El Chapoin 2018, that he personally delivered bribes to García Luna between 2005 and 2007: first $3 million in 2005, and between $3 and $5 million in 2006, all from his brother and the Sinaloa cartel.
▲ Appearance of Genaro García Luna before the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies in September 2009.Photo Jose Antonio Lopez
Later, he spoke of a collection among leaders of the Sinaloa cartel to deliver 50 million dollars at the end of 2006 or beginning of 2008.
In addition to the conflict over witnesses, there are various disputes between the prosecutors and the defense over the presentation of other evidence and over indications they want the judge to include in his final instructions to the jury, at the conclusion of the presentation of witnesses and evidence. The robed orders on those issues are expected today.
The ex-policeman’s lawyers must also announce this Monday if they will call their own witnesses and if they will place García Luna on the bench to testify in their own defense.
For now, prosecutors are expected to conclude their presentation of evidence and witnesses this Monday.
If there are no unexpected delays, the judge calculates that the process will end this week and the jury will begin its deliberations to render a verdict on the five charges faced by the former Secretary of Public Security during the six-year term of President Felipe Calderón.
