'El Chapo' loses bid for new trial in U.S. drug trafficking case

A U.S. judge on Wednesdayrejected Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's bid for a new trial,finding that misconduct by jurors during the Mexican crimelord's drug trafficking case was not a reason to overturn theirguilty verdict.

Guzman sought a new trial in March after Vice News publishedan interview with one of the jurors, who said that multiple jurorsignored U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan's instructions not toread or talk about the case during the 11-week trial in Brooklyn, N.Y.,federal court.

According to the Feb. 20 Vice article, the jurors'misconduct included reading and discussing articles aboutallegations that Guzman drugged and raped girls as young as 13years old, accusations that Guzman's lawyers have denied.

Thosearticles were published just two days before jurors begandeliberating.

Cogan wrote Wednesday that there was no reason to thinkthose articles swayed the jury.

"Although different in kind, these allegations of sexualabuse are no more gruesome and prejudicial as the overwhelming amount of evidence that the jury heard and saw about [Guzman]threatening, torturing and murdering people," the judge wrote.

Cogan also said he would not hold a hearing to investigatejuror misconduct further.

'Show trial'

Jeffrey Lichtman, Guzman's lawyer, said in an email: "Thisisn't even remotely surprising as we've said from the start that the Joaquin Guzman trial was more of an inquisition, a showtrial, than an exercise in true American justice."

He added that "there will always be a stain of injustice onthis case as the jury's rampant misconduct was summarily sweptunder the rug by the court and the government."

John Marzulli, a spokesperson for the prosecutors, declined tocomment on the ruling.

Guzman, 62, was convicted on Feb. 12 on all 10 counts hefaced, after jurors heard evidence from more than 50 prosecutionwitnessesoffering an unprecedented look at the inner workingsof his Sinaloa Cartel.

Prosecutors said Guzman trafficked tons of cocaine, heroin,marijuana and methamphetamine into the United States over twodecades, amassing power in Mexico through murders and wars withrival cartels. He faces life in prison at his scheduled July 17sentencing.