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Trial of 2 policemen reset anew
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Posted on Mar 11 2005
The jury trial of two narcotics policemen accused of repeatedly abusing their positions to steal money and illegal drugs from police custody has been postponed anew, with the defendants waiving their right to a speedy trial on Thursday.
The U.S. District Court reset the start of the jury trial of Eric John Tudela Mafnas and Charley K. Patris and their co-defendant Carl Cabrera from June 6 to Aug. 1, 2005, giving their lawyers more time to prepare their defense.
This is the second time that the jury trial has been rescheduled. The federal court issued last Feb. 15 another order granting the defendants’ waiver of their right to a speedy trial.
“Substantial additional discovery has been made available to the defendants on Feb. 25, 2005 and more time is needed to prepare any pretrial motions and the defense in this case,” the defendants’ attorneys said in a joint motion filed earlier this week.
“Therefore all parties concur that the continuance of this matter is in the best interests of justice as well as both the defense and the prosecution in order to allow the parties adequate time to prepare for trial or non-trial resolution of this matter,” the attorneys added.
Mafnas and Patris, both suspended from their respective posts at the Department of Public Safety’s Special Investigation Section, have been accused by federal prosecutors of stealing money and illegal drugs from DPS custody and peddling part of the stolen narcotics.
Cabrera, a Guam resident, allegedly conspired with the two policemen in peddling methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly referred to as “ice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation had tagged Mafnas as the organizer and leader of the criminal activity, accusing the policeman of stealing from the DPS some 46 grams of ice on one occasion.
The three defendants have denied the charges against them.
