Alleged former 'El Chapo' lieutenant: Mexican drug lord tried to have me killed
Nov. 28, 2018
"NEW YORK – A former top lieutenant to Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán told a jury he feared testifying against the accused Mexican drug lord because he believed his ex-boss tried to have him killed in stabbing and grenade attacks.
Miguel Ángel Martínez held a federal courtroom transfixed Thursday as he recounted attacks he said took place in 1998, when he was in Mexican jails fighting efforts to extradite him to the United States for trial on drug trafficking charges.
"There were orders to kill me, four times," Martínez said, answering questions from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Robotti.
"From whom?" asked Robotti.
"From Mr. Joaquín Guzmán," Martínez said.
The testimony from the man who described himself as Guzmán's order-taker appeared aimed at linking Guzmán with a murder conspiracy....
Martínez has been under federal government protection for 18 years, since he pleaded guilty to drug charges and agreed to become a cooperating witness in the U.S. battle against illegal drugs...."
Alleged former 'El Chapo' lieutenant: Mexican drug lord tried to have me killed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
El Chapo Trial: Former Top Lieutenant Details Cartel Boss’s Downfall
Miguel Ángel Martínez Martínez, who knew El Chapo during his rise to power, also described the jet-setting glory days of the Sinaloa Cartel
Nov. 28, 2018
"...In a trial that will likely feature many blockbuster witnesses, Martínez stands out for his closeness to El Chapo during Guzmán’s rise to power. According to his testimony so far, he was there at a number of early moments when Guzmán and his top assistants were revolutionizing cocaine smuggling through the use of tunnels, planes and trains to ferry Colombian cocaine to its ravenous North American customers....
When he received a subpoena to testify against El Chapo, however, he said he was not happy to drop a dime on his former boss.
“When I was fighting my extradition, I never mentioned him,” he said. “I never failed him, I never stole from him, I never betrayed him. I watched over his family. And the only thing I ever received from him was four attempted attacks against me without saying anything.”
By the time court broke for lunch Wednesday, prosecutor Michael Robotti was still questioning Martinez about the terms of his cooperation agreement with the government, with cross-examination set to start Wednesday afternoon.
In its opening arguments, the defense team highlighted what it described as the untrustworthy nature of the government’s witnesses, and is likely to question Martinez about his claims to have never taken part in violence, and to hone in on his admitted drug use during the years about which he has testified."
El Chapo Trial: Former Top Lieutenant Details Cartel Boss’s Downfall – Rolling Stone
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fear of El Chapo keeps star government witness awake at night, even though he's in witness protection program
Nov. 28, 2018
"Trouble dozing off at night? Imagine this guy’s life.
A former top lieutenant for Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán said Wednesday he suffers from extreme anxiety and sees a therapist ever since he started cooperating with the U.S. government and joined the federal witness protection program.
“I can’t sleep,” Miguel Angel Martinez testified at Guzmán's drug trafficking trial in federal court in Brooklyn.
Martinez told jurors he's chronically stressed out because he believes Guzmán’s henchmen have tried to kill him at least four times already....
In opening statements, a defense attorney suggested Martinez couldn't be trusted because he previously had a $4,000 a day cocaine habit that caused his nose to nearly collapse...."
Fear of El Chapo keeps star government witness awake at night, even though he's in witness protection program - NY Daily News
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
