Trials: Noriega Makes His Case

(2 of 2)

The prosecution case, based largely on testimony from former drug traffickers who have received lenient treatment for their cooperation, was weak on some key points, most notably the inability of Noriega's colleagues to agree on payoffs the general allegedly took from the cartel to protect the Darien lab. Although 15,000 boxes of documents were seized by U.S. troops during the 1989 invasion, the lone scrap of written evidence about Noriega's involvement in drugs was a piece of yellow notepaper with some scribbled words on it. As the defense pointed out, it could well have been notes for a speech.

The prosecution's most sensational witness -- ex-Medellin drug boss Carlos Lehder -- testified that at one point 80% of all Colombian cocaine shipments were flowing through Panama, yielding Noriega $1 million a month in payoffs for looking the other way. Yet despite his cartel position, Lehder never met Noriega and had no direct knowledge of payoffs. But drug trafficker Gabriel Taboada testified that he saw Noriega visit the Medellin cartel offices and accept a bag with $500,000, while drug pilot Roberto Streidinger said he delivered a gift of six dancing girls.

The betting around the courthouse is that only two racketeering counts against Noriega will stick. Meanwhile, the DEA reports, drug trafficking is again on the rise in Panama. U.S. investigators are looking into links between traffickers and the law firm of Guillermo Endara, who became Panama's President when Noriega was overthrown.