UH OH

El Chapo Juror Says Multiple Members of Jury Followed Media Coverage of Trial

In response, the drug lord’s defense team said they “will make any appropriate motions for relief.”

A juror from the El Chapo trial claims that they and at least five fellow jurors violated the judge’s orders by following the case in the media during the trial, VICE News reports. The juror, who asked for anonymity, is the first to speak out since the high-profile case concluded on February 12. Judge Brian Cogan repeatedly told the jurors to avoid news coverage and social media, so that the verdict could be decided only on evidence from the courtroom. According to the juror, those rules were routinely broken. “You know how we were told we can’t look at the media during the trial? Well, we did. Jurors did,” they said. If multiple jurors are found to have been reading about the case in the media, El Chapo’s defense team could seek a retrial. “The jury clearly ignored the judge’s daily admonitions against not only looking at the press but also had inappropriate communications with each other,” defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman told Reuters. “We’re researching the issue now and will make any appropriate motions for relief. Joaquin Guzman deserved a fair trial.”

LOCKED HIM UP

No Escape: El Chapo Convicted

Victoria Bekiempis