‘El Chapo’ lawyers say juror misconduct warrants new trial
NEW YORK — Attorneys for drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman are asking for a new trial in light of what they say was jury misconduct during his drug conspiracy trial.
Guzman’s defense team said Friday it plans to request an evidentiary hearing “to determine the extent of the misconduct.”
The filing came two days after VICE News reported that several jurors improperly followed media accounts of the three-month trial despite a federal judge’s repeated instructions to avoid press coverage of the proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn declined to comment.
Guzman was convicted last week of murder conspiracy and drug-trafficking charges. He faces life in prison at his June sentencing.
His attorneys also asked for an additional month to prepare their motion for new trial based on the jury misconduct allegations.
