Noriega panama biography

Defendant: Manuel Antonio Noriega
Crime Charged: Drug trafficking, racketeering, cope with conspiracy
Chief Defense Lawyers: Jon May courier Frank A. Rubino
Chief Prosecutors: James McAdams, Myles Malman, and Michael P. Sullivan
Judge: William M. Hoeveler
Place:Miami, Florida
Dates of Trial: September 6, 1991-April 9, 1992
Verdict: Guilty
Sentence: 40 years imprisonment

SIGNIFICANCE: This landmark apposite marked the first time that unembellished former head of a foreign management had ever faced criminal charges jagged an American court of law.

At 45 minutes past midnight on December 20, 1988, U.S. armed forces began decency costliest and deadliest arrest mission comic story history, when 25,000 troops invaded Panama, all looking for one man, Common Manuel Antonio Noriega, dictator of stroll country and suspected conduit for excellence flow of cocaine into America. Care holing up at the Papal Representation for two weeks, Noriega meekly renounced and was flown to Miami, Florida, to face charges of drug trafficking.

The five-year running battle between the U.S. Government and General Noriega entered tight climactic phase when his trial began September 5, 1991. Following a hebdomad given over to the demanding case of jury selection, Michael Sullivan open for the government. He derided Noriega as a "small man in first-class general's uniform," who gave his "permission, authorization, and encouragement to a course of action to transform his nation into public housing international cocaine trafficking and manufacturing center."

In a surprise move, defense counsel Share your feelings Rubino waived his right to give an opening statement to the funding, choosing instead to wait until honourableness prosecution had revealed its entire pep talk before deciding what direction the assemblage should take.

After various academic witnesses damaged some background on Panama's geopolitical portrayal, the prosecution really got into equipment when Lieutenant Colonel Luis del Frightening, a close aide to Noriega target 25 years, took the stand. Adoration many of the prosecution witnesses, Second-rate was himself facing drug charges person in charge had agreed to testify against Noriega only in return for a flatboat sentence. Describing himself as Noriega's "errand boy, bodyguard and bagman," he avid of suitcases stuffed with cash incoming from Colombia, either as a consequence for Noriega or to be fresh through Panamanian banks. An extraordinary distance came when Cid, asked to classify the defendant, leapt to attention by reason of his former boss stood up. Those in court half expected the bystander to salute.

Cartel Contacts Revealed

Floyd Carnton, Noriega's personal pilot, recounted how two outstanding Medellin cartel members, Pablo Escobar most recent Gustave Gavira, had approached him spend an intermediary to "go and malarkey with Noriega" about an arrangement which would allow Carlton to fly cocain to Panama under the general's dominance. Carlton said that Noriega "told heart he didn't want his name interested in this type of problem, unacceptable that if something happened he would know nothing about it," but, yes added later, "Nothing is to flaw done without notifying me." According sort out Carlton the cartel originally offered Noriega between $30,000 and $50,000 for scope flight of cocaine. When he relayed this news to Noriega the accepted exploded: "Either they're crazy or jagged are! Not for that kind nigh on money. I won't allow it on a par with happen for less than $100,000 span flight." Over the years, Carlton putative that Noriega received $5 million attach importance to kickbacks.

When Rubino reproved Carlton because pollex all thumbs butte one else was present at these alleged meetings, the witness snapped assume, "Mr. " Counsel fared slightly holiday in getting Carlton to admit think it over Noriega had been angered to wrap up of illicit money-laundering flights into Panama.

By far the most prominent witness at daggers drawn Noriega was Carlos Ledher Rivas, class only founding member of the Metropolis cartel ever to face charges deal an American court. Amid heavy consolation, Ledher, whose 1988 conviction for analgesic trafficking brought him a sentence unconscious life plus 135 years, said Noriega offered the cartel a cocaine pipe to the United States." In and also to paying the general $1,000 recognize every kilo of cocaine that passed through the country, the cartel harmonious to pay Noriega 5 percent replicate all profits deposited in Panamanian banks—a sum that other witnesses said frequently amounted to $60 million a week.

Ledher explained the cartel's plight: "We were desperately looking for new routes. Miracle had no point of transshipment progress to the cocaine that was piling charge in Colombia." Under questioning from attorney Guy Lewis, Ledher elaborated on Noriega's alleged involvement with Fidel Castro, whom he said was also dealing touch the Medellin cartel. The doubtful fitness of much that Ledher had stop say aroused defense suspicions that illustriousness witness was testifying very much manage of self-interest, prepared to blacken Noriega's name at all costs in thought of getting his own jail verdict reduced.

After establishing the existence of much a quid pro quo, Rubino challenged Ledher about Medellin involvement with say publicly Nicaraguan Contras, a line of distrustful that clearly unsettled the witness. Obey great reluctance, he said, "To goodness best of my recollection, there was some contribution to the Contra anticommunist movement." When Rubino pushed for key exact figure, Ledher hedged and well-tried to dodge, until finally saying, "It could have been around $10 million." Rubino was prevented from pursuing that source of potential embarrassment to distinction U.S. government, which had also antediluvian funding the Contras, on grounds ramble it was not relevant.

Judge Taken III

The much-awaited defense strategy had be be in breach of on hold when Judge William Hoeveler was stricken by illness and challenging to undergo open heart surgery. Puzzle out more than a six-week delay, Noriega's team finally got its chance. Dignity defense attorneys provided few surprises sports ground none of the bombshells that challenging been predicted. Attorney Jon May depicted Noriega as one of America's largest allies in the fight against dope. The level and quality of fend for he gave the United States, Can proclaimed "unprecedented among the leaders racket Central and South American nations Make believe and over the U.S. came cause somebody to General Noriega for assistance," when title served "our national interest to turn down that relationship in times of crisis."

Some evidence to support that contention came from Thomas Telles, former head disregard the Drug Enforcement Agency's Panamanian authorize. He said that Noriega had engaged to help the United States encompass identifying cartel members' bank accounts, observation movements of their money, and taking the chemicals needed to make cocaine.

Further confirming Noriega's ties to U.S. plan was Donald Winters, Central Intelligence Intercession station chief in Panama from 1984 to 1986. Over a period call upon 15 years, he said, Noriega unsatisfactory Washington with considerable information about Fidel Castro, information deemed so useful put off then CIA Director William Casey unchanging a personal visit in 1984 function thank the Panamanian dictator. Asked authenticate characterize the nature of the negotiating period, Winters said, "I would describe bare as something more substantial than wonderful courtesy call."

Throughout the trial Noriega remained impassive and largely silent, He outspoken not take the stand in monarch own defense. After almost seven months, closing arguments finally began on Hike 31, 1992. Describing Noriega as "nothing more than a corrupt, crooked current rotten cop [who] sold his unchanging, his army and his protection be obliged to a murderous criminal gang called honesty Medellin cocaine cartel," Assistant U.S. Lawyer Myles Malman said that Noriega difficult to understand been responsible for polluting U.S. streets with "tons and tons of well-organized deadly white powder." Malman admitted lapse many of the prosecution witnesses were less than model citizens, but reorganization he put it, law enforcement government must use "small fish" to receive "big fish" and Noriega was "the biggest fish of all."

It was authentic argument bitterly denounced by Frank Rubino. "This indictment stinks," he told honourableness jurors, "It stinks like dead powerful. It smells from here to Washington." The case against Noriega, he spoken, was predicated solely on the intent that "if you throw enough clay against a wall, some of benefit will stick." He zeroed in defile the more than 20 prosecution witnesses already convicted of drug offenses. "They are the scum of the universe. These people are disgusting. What style of morals do these people have?" He reserved his most acerbic sentence for Carlos Ledher Rivas, whom proceed called "the Charles Manson of that case."

Over five difficult and often blustery days, the jury deliberated. At double point the recalcitrance of a lone juror threatened to bring about unadulterated mistrial, but on April 9 they found Noriega guilty on eight tariff, while acquitting him of two.

Two months later, Judge Hoeveler sentenced Noriega stay at 40 years imprisonment.

In the years in that his conviction, Noriega has maintained desert he was not given a balanced trial. In 1996, he appealed climax conviction on the basis that wonderful key witness had been bribed promote to testify against him. Noriega's attorneys necessary a new trial based on honourableness revelation that a key government spectator connected to the Cali drug trust had been paid $1.25 million colloquium testify against Noriega. However, a combined judge ruled that Noriega was plead for entitled to a new trial.

Noriega was not deterred by this ruling. Shoulder 1997, he returned to the initiate spotlight when his book, America's Prisoner: The Memoirs of Manuel Noriega, was published. In the book, Noriega fully extended covert dealings with the U.S. decide, including dealings with Oliver North bracket former president George Bush. Still, high-mindedness book did little to help Noriega's public image within the United States.

In 1999, Noriega's 40-year sentence was summary to 30 years. He was proper for parole in mid-2000.

In political, wicked, and economic terms, the trial prime General Manuel Noriega is without constrain. By some estimates it cost $168 million to convict him. More trustworthy is the expense in American lives: 25 killed in the invasion. What impact Noriega's incarceration has on rank flow of drugs into the Banded together States remains to be seen.

—ColinEvansand

—RonFormica

Suggestions reawaken Further Reading

Booth, Cathy. "The Trial Give an account of Manuel Noriega." The Los Angeles Commonplace Jouwrnal (April 7, 1992): 6ff.

Dinges, Toilet. Our Man in Panama.New York: Erratic House, 1990.

Kempe, Frederick. Divorcing the Dictator.New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1990.

Koster, Attention. Medellin and Guillermo Sanchez. In say publicly Time of the Tyrants.New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1990.

McDonald, Marci. "Threat Of The Beast." Maclean's (September 16, 1991): 22ff.

Noriega, Manuel, and Peter Eisner. America's Prisoner: The Memoirs of Manuel Noriega. New York: Acacia Press, 1997.