Prosecutors and defense attorneys have joined together to ask for the men to be released.
In 1991, a federal judge in California sentenced 4 men to more than 500 years of prison each for their role in laundering money for a drug cartel. The prosecution alleged that while these men did not personally handle any cocaine or commit any acts of violence, their participation in the scheme allowed others to do the same.
A key witness against these men was a man who worked at a Los Angeles gold brokerage. This man was also involved in money laundering — and testified on behalf of the government. He described how proceeds from the sale of the drugs were used to buy gold, which was then sold and the money was sent to cartels in Central and South America. This man received a relatively light sentence of just over 5 years, and was released in 1994.
According to a drug crime defense lawyer in Los Angeles, CA, this case recently came under scrutiny when this man told his attorney that he had gotten special treatment from the FBI agents assigned to this case — and that that fact had never been disclosed to the defendants, their attorneys, the court, or the jury. The man’s lawyer asked him to sign a sworn statement, which he handed over to the lawyers for the 4 men. Upon receiving this information, the men’s lawyers filed for their clients’ convictions to be overturned — and after investigation, federal prosecutors joined in that motion.
In a movie, this would lead us to the happy ending, where the prosecutors and the defense work together to have men who were unjustly convicted freed from jail. In this case, however, the judge assigned to the case found that the man’s testimony was not a critical part of convicting the 4 defendants — and refused to release them from prison. The case is currently on appeal.
This case may involve an extreme situation, with 500+ year sentences and a co-conspirator coming forward to tell the truth decades after the fact. But key evidence may be withheld in even low level cases. When law enforcement or prosecutors fail to inform a drug crime defense lawyer in Los Angeles, CA about special treatment or other information that may affect a witness’ credibility, it can lead to injustice. For example, if a witness comes forward to claim that they witnessed a crime, the prosecutor and police should disclose if that witness has been paid. When money is paid for information, it could influence a person to lie or shade the truth. At a minimum, the defense should be able to challenge the credibility of the witness — and a jury should know how and why the witness came to testify.
In any criminal case, it is important to work with a drug crime defense lawyer in Los Angeles, CA who understands these issues, and who will work to uncover all relevant evidence. This may include examining court records for all witnesses, hiring a private investigator, or interviewing witnesses. At the Chambers Law Firm, we take a multi-pronged approach to defending our clients — and we fight to make sure that our clients get a fair trial. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation, contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com.
