In Honduras Salguero Case Inner City Press Bid To Unseal Motions They Withdraw So Moot
Espanol aqui: En caso de Salguero en Honduras, la prensa del centro de la ciudad hace una oferta para revelar las mociones que retiran, por lo que son discutibles
By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC-Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN NY Mag
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 6 – After the president of Honduras' brother Tony Hernandez was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life plus thirty years, on April 21, 2022 the ex-president himself, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was extradited to the United States.
[Espanol abajo)
Inner City Press which covered the trials of Tony Hernandez and Giovanny Fuentes Ramirez immediatley published the unsealed JOH indictment, which was returned on January 27, 2022 but left under seal.
Now, a related case is moving toward trial, on Salguero Morales and Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo, with problems about a witness, Ardon Soriano. Inner City Press live tweeted a proceeding on August 17, 2022, here then filed to unseal the secret motions, response due August 22, docketed request here.
On Sunday September 4, before any ruling on Inner City Press' unopposed motion to unseal, now they are seeking to "withdraw" the motions. But they are judicial documents. The request: "Dear Judge Castel, On or about August 17, 2022, sealed motions were filed by previous defense counsel for defendant Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo. The motions were jointly filed, Mr. Feitel, attorney for Otto Salguero-Morales, joined in the motion on behalf on his client. Defendant Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo hereby withdraws the sealed motions filed on his behalf. Faithfully yours, /s/David Zapp Attorney for Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo CC: AUSA Kaylan Lasky."
On September 6, Judge Castel granted the motion to withdraw, and dismissed Inner City Press' application to unseal as moot: "MEMO ENDORSEMENT as to Otto Rene Salguero Morales (6), Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo (7) on re: [466] MOTION filed by Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo to Withdraw Document specifically, previously filed motions. ENDORSEMENT: Based upon the decision of both defendants to withdraw the motion the motion filed by defendant Ronald Salguero Portillo joined in by Otto Salguero-Morales are deemed WITHDRAWN. The application to UNSEAL is DENIED as MOOT. SO ORDERED: (Signed by Judge P. Kevin Castel on 9/6/2022). We'll have more on this.
Some of Inner City Press' request - which should be granted as the motions they now seek to disappear:
"Dear Judge Castel: On behalf of Inner City Press and in my personal capacity, this is near immediate request to unseal, in full or at least in part, the motions discussed this afternoon in open court in the above-captioned proceeding, which Inner City Press is covering. Outgoing counsel for Mr. Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo, it was said, submitted a motion on August 3, 2022 regarding alleged problems with the testimony of a witness, "Ardon Soriano." This was apparently followed up with a second motion submitted today, August 17, 2022. But neither motion is contained in the docket on PACER, nor any request to file under seal. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees to the public a right of access to court proceedings. U.S. CONST. AMEND. I; Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court, 457 U.S. 596, 603 (1982). The public’s right of access is strongest when it comes to criminal proceedings such as these, which are matters of the “high[est] concern and importance to the people.” Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia, 448 U.S. 555, 575 (1980) (plurality opinion). This is a Press request that the filings be unsealed consistent with Lugosch v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga, 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006). Parties such as Inner City Press and myself have standing to intervene in criminal proceedings to assert the public’s right of access. United States v. Aref, 533 F.3d 72, 81 (2d Cir. 2008). This is a request that this opposition to sealing be docketed as, for example, took place in US v. Bright, 19-cr-521 (PKC), and in this case, regarding Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, on May 11, 2022,, after which Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker ruled: "The Financial Affidavit was filed under seal. On May 11, 2022, Matthew Russell Lee (“Lee”), a reporter with Inner City Press, filed a letter intervening on behalf of the public and requesting that the Financial Affidavit be unsealed. I find that the Financial Affidavit should be unsealed."
The same should happen here.
On May 11, JUAN CARLOS BONILLA VALLADARES, or Tigre Bonilla, formerly of the Honduran National Police, was presented and Inner City Press live tweeted it here
On May 10, Juan Orlando Hernandez was brought into court to be arraigned. Inner City Press live tweeted it, thread here
Back on April 21, a lawyer filed a notice of appearance to represent JOH: Raymond L. Colon of 131 Pugsley Avenue in The Bronx, with 30 other cases over the years in SDNY.
On April 22 by video Colon represented JOH at his presentment. Inner City Press live tweeted here
Previously, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres why he supported already-disgraced JOH in helping to steal his second election, by sending a four person panel with no read-out.
There has still been no answer from UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric - but Guterres' head of media access Melissa Fleming has banned Inner City Press, ongoing.
On April 21 Inner City Press posted vlogs in English and Spanish, and streamed the DEA press statement from DC, here. We will cover JOH's presentment, arraignment and trial.
The case is US v. Juan Orlando Hernandez, et al., 15-cr-379 (Castel).
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En caso de Salguero en Honduras, la prensa del centro de la ciudad hace una oferta para revelar las mociones que retiran, por lo que son discutibles
Por Matthew Russell Lee, libro de Patreon Maxwell
BBC-Guardian Reino Unido - Honduras - ESPN NY Mag
JUZGADO DE SDNY, 6 de septiembre – Luego de que el presidente del hermano de Honduras, Tony Hernández, fuera condenado por narcotráfico y sentenciado a cadena perpetua más treinta años, el 21 de abril de 2022 el propio expresidente, Juan Orlando Hernández, fue extraditado a los Estados Unidos.
[Español aquí]
Inner City Press, que cubrió los juicios de Tony Hernández y Giovanny Fuentes Ramírez, publicó de inmediato la acusación JOH sin sellar, que se devolvió el 27 de enero de 2022 pero se dejó sellada.
Ahora, un caso relacionado avanza hacia el juicio, sobre Salguero Morales y Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo, con problemas sobre un testigo, Ardón Soriano. Inner City Press tuiteó en vivo un procedimiento el 17 de agosto de 2022, aquí luego se presentó para revelar las mociones secretas, la respuesta vence el 22 de agosto, solicitud registrada aquí.
El domingo 4 de septiembre, antes de cualquier decisión sobre la moción sin oposición de Inner City Press para abrir el sello, ahora buscan "retirar" las mociones. Pero son documentos judiciales. La solicitud: "Estimado juez Castel: El 17 de agosto de 2022 o alrededor de esa fecha, el abogado defensor anterior del acusado Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo presentó mociones selladas. Las mociones fueron presentadas conjuntamente, el Sr. Feitel, abogado de Otto Salguero-Morales, se unió a la moción en nombre de su cliente. El demandado Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo por la presente retira las mociones selladas presentadas en su nombre. Atentamente, /f/David Zapp Abogado de Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo CC: AUSA Kaylan Lasky".
El 6 de septiembre, el juez Castel concedió la moción de retiro y desestimó la solicitud de Inner City Press para revelar como discutible: "MEMO ENDOSO a Otto Rene Salguero Morales (6), Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo (7) sobre: [466] MOCIÓN presentada por Ronald Enrique Salguero Portillo para Retirar Documento específicamente, mociones presentadas anteriormente. ENDOSO: Con base en la decisión de ambos demandados de retirar la moción, la moción presentada por el demandado Ronald Salguero Portillo junto con Otto Salguero-Morales se considera RETIRADA. La solicitud para DESSELLAR se NEGÓ como DISPONIBLE ASÍ QUE SE ORDENÓ: (Firmado por el juez P. Kevin Castel el 6 de septiembre de 2022). Tendremos más información al respecto.