Supreme Court justices draw heat on bungled extradition

SANTO DOMINGO.- Alleged narcotics trafficker Ramon Antonio del Rosario Puente’s (Toño Leña) defense attorneys Monday noon challenged Dominican Republic’s Supreme Court Penal Chamber justices during their clients request extradition hearing.

Prior to today’s hearing, the lawyer Tomas Castro also challenged the prosecutors Gisela Cueto and Francisco Cruz, claiming partiality against his client, but the Justice Ministry rejected the measure.

That however didn’t put a stop to the delaying tactics by Castro, who immediately challenged the judges Hugo Alvarez Valencia, Ana Rosa Bergés, and Victor Jose Capellan.

Puerto Rico wants Del Rosario’s extradited since July 16, 2010, accused of drug trafficking. The proceedings against him have been postponed an unprecedented eight times thus far, unleashing scathing criticism against the high court’s justices.