NEW YORK.- The U.S. Federal prosecutor assigned to the case against ex Army captain Quirino Paulino (El Don) said the Dominican government hasn’t cooperated enough in the proceedings, an allegation first voiced earlier this year.

In the trial that starts September 2 a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent stationed in Santo Domingo and National Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) officials are expected to testify, as papers in New York South Disrict Federal Court identify the U.S. agent only as "Torres.”

In the same hearing in which the date was set to begin the trial against Paulino and other defendants whom haven’t agreed to plea bargaining with the Federal Prosecutor, judge Kimba M. Wood ruled that the agent could testify agaisnt the accused.

Present in the hearing held June 12 aside from Paulino were Eduardo Rodriguez Cordero (Eduardito), Fátima Henríquez Diaz, Richard Mejía Peñ, Jose Ortega de Leon, among others, as well as defense lawyers Linda George, Justine Levine, Eric Franz, and Stanislao German.

The prosecutor John O’Donell argued the Dominican government hadn’t cooperated enough and that the Federal Court didn’t have the recordings of some of the defendants, which would’ve been used as part of the evidence, to which Wood responded that with or without the recordings, it was already time to set a trial date. "A date which we must already establish for the trial to begin for the good of justice itself, for the people and for the accused."

O’Donell, George and Franz requested a continuance for diverse reasons.

When Wood asked O’Donnel if the prosecution had received sufficient support and evidence from the Dominican Government, he said clearly: "They’ve given it sometimes," but hinted that it hasn’t been enough.

Partial source: diariolibre.com.do