Doubt on verdicts in DEA Agent's Death

By Fredric N. Tulsky
LOS ANGELES TIMES

Twelve years after a U.S. drug agent was kidnapped, tortured and murdered
in Mexico, evidence has emerged that federal prosecutors relied on perjured
testimony and false information, casting a cloud over the convictions of
three men now serving life sentences.

The evidence suggests that the U.S. government, in its zeal to solve the
heinous killing of Enrique Camarena, induced corrupt former Mexican police
to implicate top officials there in a conspiracy to plan his kidnapping.

Their statements not only were critical to winning convictions against the
three, including the brotherinlaw of the former president; they also have
tarnished the reputations of Mexican political figures and strained
relations between the two countries.

Attorneys for one of the impl cased of ficials developed new info, mation
that prompted the Los Ar geles Times to undertake its ow examination of the
Camarena cas four months ago. Results of that inquiry raise questions about
th integrity of the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation and
prosecutions in Los Angeles:

*A star prosecution witness says he perjured himself after U.S. Iaw
enforcement officials coached him into falsely accusing the three
defendants and Mexican officials of plotting the kidnapping.

* Portions of the testimony by key witnesses appear false. For example, two
witnesses said the kidnapping was plotted inside a Guadalajara, Mexico,
hotel suite, but a recent visit to the hotel indicates no such suite
exists.

* Key informants received more financial and legal help than the jury was
told about. Some informants were provided final lumpsum payments of
thousands of dollars after the trial had ended. And records show a DEA
agent helped another witness escape prosecution on felony charges of
spousal abuse.

* The DEA operative who helped investigate Camarena's murder and bring
witnesses to this country says some members of the prosecution team were so
eager to build their case that they ignored warnings that certain witness
statements were suspect.

The revelations mark the latest chapter in one of the most farreaching
murder investigations in U.S. history. From the start, it has provoked
strong emotions, both for agents who wanted justice for a slain colleague,
and for Mexican officials who felt the integrity of their government was
under attack.

At issue now is testimony that Camarena's abduction was planned at meetings
attended by drug traffickers, corrupt police and highranking Mexican
officials.