By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 12 – Yudith Reynoso-Hiciano has been facing a kidnapping, trial to start February 24, 2021.
On February 12, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Denise L. Cote held a proceeding. Inner City Press covered it.
The push for the trial was still on, now with the new SDNY order of double masking or an N95 mask, "Bandanas, gaiters and masks with valves are not permitted."
On December 28, the US Attorney's office wrote to Judge Cote of the already-delayed trial, "yesterday, December 27, a cooperating witness scheduled to testify at the January 4 trial was in close contact with a person who tested positive the same day for COVID-19... The CW is not currently vaccinated against COVID-19. In light of the foregoing and its potential effect on the upcoming trial, the Government respectfully requests the Court promptly convene a telephonic conference."
On December 29 Judge Cote ordered that jury selection will still be on January 4 (another cases' jury selection set for January 3 has been canceled due to Omicron) - "DENISE COTE, District Judge: A critical witness in the upcoming trial of January 4, 2022, having been exposed on December 27, 2021, to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, and having consulted with counsel in a telephone conference today and thereafter with the District Executive, it is hereby ORDERED that jury selection will proceed on January 4. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, assuming the witness continues to be asymptomatic and takes a PCR test on January 1, the trial itself will begin on January 10 if that test result is negative, and on January 11 if that PCR test is positive. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, should the witness become symptomatic, the schedule will have to be revisited."
On January 11 and 12, Inner City Press covered the trial. An Assistant US Attorney read out loud absurd English translations of Spanish slang, and there was a legal fight about the defense's case. By the end of January 12, Judge Cote was reading the jury her instructions.
And on January 13, this: JURY VERDICT as to Yudith Reynoso-Hiciano Guilty on Count 2,3. And: "YUDITH REYNOSO-HICIANO, a/k/a “La Classica,” was convicted today in Manhattan federal court of kidnapping conspiracy and kidnapping. REYNOSO-HICIANO was convicted after a four-day jury trial... In May 2019, REYNOSO-HICIANO and others kidnapped an individual (“Victim-1”), in connection with a dispute between REYNOSO-HICIANO’s brother and Victim-1 relating to the sale of a kilogram of cocaine. REYNOSO-HICIANO and others kept Victim-1 at her apartment, where they tied his wrists together, assaulted him, and threatened to beat him with a crowbar and to press a hot clothing iron against his chest. * * * REYNOSO-HICIANO, 43, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted by a jury of one count of kidnapping conspiracy and one count of kidnapping. REYNOSO-HICIANO is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2022."
The case is USA v. Reynoso-Hiciano et al., 20-cr-388 (Cote)
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
