SAN ANTONIO – The final defense witness in the federal trial of Marciano Millan-Vasquez testified Monday that Millian- Vasquez was tried on drug trafficking and weapons charges in Mexico in the spring of 2013.
He was tried under what was called the “traditional judicial system” and was exonerated and released by a judge his lawyer at the time, Humberto Martinez, testified Monday.
During cross examination, prosecutors noted that under the traditional system the conviction rate is only 1 percent.
Martinez was preceded to the witness stand by two defense character witnesses. Both said that, in their opinion that Millian-Vasquez was “an honorable man.”
When informed of trial testimony that Millian-Vasquez often used fake names, a woman witness replied, “Many times mistakes are made.”
A man who said he did masonry jobs for Millian-Vasquez at his ranch in Mexico said, “All of the times I dealt with him he treated me with respect.”
During the two week trial in federal court, prosecutors portrayed Vasquez as a “blood thirsty commandant and plaza boss” in the Zeta cartel, and alleged that he participated in the slaughter of hundreds of men, women and children in Northern Mexico.
The government also alleged that Millian-Vasquez was a major player in the cartel’s international drug trafficking operation.
Closing arguments and jury deliberations are scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.
A guilty verdict could mean a life prison sentence for Millian-Vasquez.