'El Chapo' trial in New York raises security concerns
NEW YORK -- The trial of the Mexican drug lord known as 'El Chapo' is set to begin Monday in Brooklyn with a jury selection. His ruthless reputation is sparking security concerns.
Joaquín Guzmán or 'El Chapo' was extradited last year to face United States drug conspiracy charges.
He is accused of having a hand in dozens of murders, and smuggling more than 200 tons of cocaine.
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Guzman's criminal pedigree prompted authorities in New York to hold him in solitary confinement in a high-security wing of a federal jail in Manhattan that has held notorious terrorists and mobsters.
For pre-trial hearings, authorities transported the Mexican drug lord to and from jail by shutting down the Brooklyn Bridge to make way for a police motorcade that included a SWAT team and an ambulance, all tracked by helicopters.
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At the time, the judge noted the expense and logistical nightmare it could create - particularly for New Yorkers who rely on the bridge to commute.
The trial could last as long as four months.
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Now there's speculation that a special cell for Guzman has been set up deep inside the Brooklyn courthouse.
Keep in mind, El Chapo escaped jail twice in Mexico through a tunnel.
Jurors will be kept anonymous and escorted to and from the courthouse by federal officers.
Heavily armed federal agents will turn the courthouse into a fortress.
