Judge rules against moving trial for drug kingpin ‘El Chapo’ out of Brooklyn
Defense attorney complained about closing the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn federal court judge Brian Cogan ruled against a motion by the defense of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman to move his trial out of Brooklyn and into Manhattan during a hearing Tuesday morning at the Eastern District of NY courthouse.
Guzman’s defense attorney A. Eduardo Balarezo had requested a change in venue from Brooklyn to Manhattan because transporting Guzman creates a spectacle and disrupts commuting New Yorkers, which he contends could potentially taint the jury pool.
That spectacle is a result of the Brooklyn Bridge being closed each time Guzman has to appear in court.