El Chapo Trial: Update on Emma's Cell-Gate and How Borderland Beat "enters the trial"

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat 

Cell-Gate

Cell-Gate began on November 20^th, when two court security guards witnessed the wife of El Chapo, Emma Coronel, using a cell phone.  Electronics of any type are strictly prohibited by court room observers.  Attorneys in the case are allowed to use electronics including cell phones.

The courthouse is has installed a video surveillance system which provides footage of numerous locations throughout the premises including courtrooms, common areas, and certain restricted areas.

Camera footage of the 20^th did not capture Emma using a cell phone, but did record her using one on the 19^th. 

Government contentions are that Emma was using the cell to send messages to Chapo. 

The attorney directly involved with the name “Lambert” explained what was transpiring.

Atty Donoghue filed for sanctions

Emma, who does not speak English, was asking Lambert what was going on in the trial.  Lambert, who does not speak Spanish, took out his cell and used the google translation app to communicate with Emma.  It was a brief exchange.  But it was against SAMs the special security measures imposed against Chapo.

There was a side bar conference.  An explanation was given to and accepted by Judge Cogan as reasonable.  Emma assured it would not happen again and apologized to the court.

A week later, on November 27^th the prosecution filed a requests for sanctions to the court for this violation.  They not only want sanctions imposed on the attorney involved but on the entire defense team.

Over the weekend attorneys filed a flurry of responses.  Including Lambert’s which you can read at the bottom of this post along with the governments filing.

It is expected to hear the judges ruling on this important event today…..stay tuned. [click on image to enlarge]

                                 

Tweet-Gate

The prosecution filed a complaint against Eduardo Balarezo’s tweeting.

On November 29^th I wrote an Op-Ed about the government not liking the Tweets of Eduardo Balarezo, defense attorney of El Chapo.  The title; “El Chapo Trial: Prosecution not liking defense tweets and facial expressions” it was cathartic to vent.  Venting about a few bristling moves in  the case specifically but in general about our government trials and the overall ineffective trials, deals for cooperative witnesses, overkill, tax waste to claim victory in a drug war that has been long lost.

Balarezo tweets mostly about President Trump, but had posted a handful of obscure innocuous about the trial or Mexico including one about his former client El H death. He did say he “was told” the heart attack occurred after being told he was being extradited and would testify against El Chapo. 

The government says that H was never considered as a witness.  The tweet flew over the head of the prosecution.  Balarezo was not saying this was reality, he said he was told by a source that El H [Hector Beltran Leyva]  was told that.  The government did not actually  deny he was being extradited. 

Balarezo filed a response addressing the accusations ending with my complete article.

Commenting;  “Perhaps an O-Ed from the website Borderland Beat says it best”.

And posts my Op-Ed. 

I am not sure what will transpire…maybe Cogan will simply say to knock it off.  Something that could easily be accomplished at a private side bar conference. I am sure now the government advertised Balarezo’s twitter page so many more folks are checking it out.

The filing below.

El Chapo's attorney Edu... by on Scribd

Government request for sanctions:

El Chapo Trial Emma Cell Ph... by on Scribd

Lambert's reply:

   El Chapo Trial Atty Lambert Replies About Cell Gate by Chivis Martinez on Scribd