The highly publicized federal case against Manuel Antonio Noriega, a former Panamanian dictator, took place in the California Eastern District Federal Court in 2008. Noriega, who had a long history of human rights abuses and corruption during his reign, faced multiple charges related to violent crimes.
On December 30, 2008, the indictment was filed against Noriega, charging him with 17 counts of money laundering and racketeering, as well as the murder of opposition leaders and civilians during his rule. The prosecution presented evidence of Noriega’s involvement in the deaths of hundreds of Panamanians, as well as his embezzlement of millions of dollars from the Panamanian government.
Noriega’s trial began in July 2009 and lasted for several months. The prosecution presented testimony from former Panamanian officials and civilians who had been affected by Noriega’s regime. Noriega’s defense team argued that the prosecution’s evidence was circumstantial and that their client was not guilty of the crimes charged. The jury delivered a guilty verdict on December 8, 2010, and Noriega was subsequently sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay a $20 million fine as part of his sentence. Noriega died in 2017 while serving his sentence at a federal prison in Miami, Florida.
Key Facts
- Case: Noriega
- Court: CAED Federal District
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Federal Court Records
