El Chapo trial: Joaquín Guzman joked about arming infant daughter with AK47 in texts to wife, court hears
Trial of Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzman is expected to last four months
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The trial of notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo“ Guzman continues in Brooklyn, New York, and is expected to last into early 2019.
This is the first time a major Mexican drug lord has been tried in a US court and pleaded not guilty. The trial has become increasingly tense in recent days, as Guzman’s attorney seeks to undermine testimonies from major drug traffickers.
Guzman, 61, faces a 17 count indictment that covers nearly three decades of alleged criminal activities. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Follow updates form the trial as they happened
Agencies contributed to this report
Opening statements in the trial have been delayed because of a problem seating a full jury. One of the jurors selected was excused shortly before the trial was set to open today.
The lawyers and judge are working to choose a replacement for the jury member.
This is Richard Donoghue, centre, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, entering the Brooklyn federal court today.
Credit: AP / Mark Lennihan
The evidence in the Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzman trial will include the testimony of more than a dozen witnesses. There will also be evidence provided about alleged multiple murders committed in drug wars in Mexico, cocaine smuggled in jalapenos cans and Guzman's escapes from jail.
He could face life in prison if convicted of drug-trafficking charges. His lawyers say he's being framed by the cooperators.
The Mexican drug baron founded the notorious Sinaloa Cartel in 1989 and picked up where Colombia’s Pablo Escobar left off in dominating international narcotics trafficking, building up a vast fortune and leaving behind a bloody trail of vanquished enemies on both sides of the law.
He was arrested on 8 January 2016 – on the run following the second spectacular prison break of his career – and extradited to the US before he had a chance to make fools of the Mexican authorities for a third time.
After a jury member was excused over reports of "anxiety", the hearing will not begin until she has been replaced.
One of Guzman's lawyers asked if Emma Coronel Aispuro - Guzman's wife - could hug his client before opening arguments were set to begin. The request was denied by the judge.
At this stage we do not know how long it will take to find a replacement for the excused jury member. Due to the security levels of this highly anticipated trial (which itself is expected to last three months), this could take some time.
Guzman's lawyers have signalled they intend to downplay their client's role in the Sinaloa Cartel, which prosecutors claim he led for years.
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