by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 12 – Clisandro Mendez and six co-defendants were ordered to appear in a consolidated drug case on May 11, for a trial date to be set.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jesse M. Furman was presiding in large courtroom 318 in 40 Foley Square. Inner City Press was there and covered it.
Two of the defendants were brought in by US Marshals. But one, it emerged, was the wrong Freddy Espinal. The Assistant US Attorney said he had not been aware there were two Freddy Espinals in the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
While setting trial for April 2, 2024, Judge Furman told the AUSA to file a letter explaining l'affaire Freddy Espinal.
Inner City Press waited to publish until it was:
"The Government respectfully submits this letter to explain why defendant Freddy Espinal was not produced for the status conference held on May 11, 2023. In ordering the defendant to be produced for today’s conference, the undersigned AUSA incorrectly copied the USMS register number for Franck Espinal, who, like defendant Freddy Espinal, is detained at Hudson County Correctional Facility, and who appeared in the Government’s internal log of federal prisoners held at Hudson directly above defendant Freddy Espinal. The Government sincerely regrets its error."
The case is US v. Ornelas, et al., 22-cr-552 (Furman)
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