| Drugs Mailed
to The Bronx From Puerto Rico Triggered
SDNY Trial but Mistrial for COVID
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Sept 29 – Abel Montilla and
ten others were indicted for a
narcotics conspiracy involving
sending cocaine into the
mainland United States from
Puerto
Rico.
On October 13,
2020 U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New
York Judge P. Kevin Castel
held an arraignment and
scheduling proceeding. Inner
City Press covered it.
A range of
CJA lawyers, including as to
one the law firm of Debevoise
& Plimpton, entered not
guilty pleas for their
clients.
Discovery on
large external hard drives was
discussed.
Jump cut
to September 26, 2022. Abel
Montilla is one trial, and
initial co-defendant Anabel
Colon Reyes on the witness
stand. She testified about
package of cocaine mailed,
including to DHL, from Puerto
Rico to Orlando, Florida and
to The Bronx. She was arrested
in September 2019, spent seven
days in jail then decided to
cooperate with the government.
She wants a 5K-1 letter.
Montilla's
defense lawyer asked why she
had gotten interested in his
client's nickname, Cochabomba,
and not Peter "El Loco." Judge
Castel called the end of the
trial day.
On September 28,
this: "Re: United States v.
Abel Montilla, a/k/a “Coche
Bomba,” S9 19 Cr. 536 (PKC)
Dear Judge Castel: The
Government writes to
respectfully request that the
Court adjourn trial in the
abovecaptioned case until the
Government’s remaining witness
(“CW-1”) is able to satisfy
the Southern District’s COVID
protocols and enter the
courthouse, so that CW-1 may
testify in person. (See Ct.
Exs. 2, 3; Sept. 28, 2022
Trial Tr. at 358.) The
Government has discussed this
matter with defense counsel
and defense counsel has
conveyed that the defendant
does not object to an
adjournment. As the Court is
aware, CW-1 arrived in Court
today to testify as a
Government witness. After
taking the witness stand, but
before the jury entered the
courtroom, CW-1 indicated to a
Spanish language interpreter
that CW-1 was experiencing
symptoms consistent with
COVID-19. At the Court’s
direction, CW-1 was removed
from the courtroom and a PCR
test was administered, which
came back positive for
COVID-19."
On September 29,
Inner City Press went to
Courtroom 11D as Judge Castel,
after argument, declared a
mistrial based on "manifest
necessity." He said memories
would dissipate during a break
until October 11, and noted
that a juror had to leave
October 7. Inner City Press
will continue to follow the
case.
The case is US v.
Montilla, et al., 19-cr-536
(Castel)
***
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