Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman has been found guilty in a Brooklyn court on all ten charges against him, in a trial involving, among other things, the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and marijuana into the U.S. from across the border.
On Fox’s Outnumbered on Tuesday, host Harris Faulkner spoke with Judge Andrew Napolitano about the verdict.
“First we hear about a guilty on one count life sentence. And then we hear guilty on all ten federal counts,” said Faulkner. “Are we surprised that it’s a full guilty?”
“No, I’m not surprised. Evidence of his guilt, Harris, was overwhelming,” said Napolitano. He noted that the defense argued the witnesses were themselves drug dealers and criminal lowlifes, and therefore they shouldn’t be considered credible.
“Quite frankly, the government did a truly brilliant job of not only getting all these people from Mexico to come to the United States and testify against him, but in corroborating their testimony with forensic evidence, physical things, and texts and emails that can’t lie,” he said.
“I’m reading here that the evidence included testimony from 14 cooperators,” said Faulkner. “That’s a lot of people.” Faulkner was citing witnesses who were cooperating with Federal investigators while potentially under their own investigations or charges. Overall, about 50 witnesses testified against El Chapo.
Napolitano noted again that this is a risky proposition that can backfire, because of the character of the witnesses who may themselves be facing charges and cutting deals, but again cited the work by the prosecution in shoring up that testimony. “As I said, it’s backed up by forensics,” he said. “Physical things that can’t lie.”
The jury deliberated for six days before finding the vicious druglord guilty on all counts in the federal drug conspiracy trial that lasted about three months.
He has not been sentenced yet, but is guaranteed at least life in prison under the statutes, Fox reports.
[Featured image via screengrab]
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