The move to not seek the death penalty against Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, Vicente Carrillo Fuentes and Rafael Caro Quintero is notable given President Trump’s repeated calls for executing drug traffickers.

Lawyers for the defendants praised the decision, while a former federal prosecutor speculated that diplomatic considerations with Mexico may have influenced the outcome.

Federal authorities in the United States revealed Tuesday that they will not seek the death penalty against three reputed Mexican drug cartel leaders, including an alleged former partner of the infamous “El Chapo” and the man accused of orchestrating the killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

Court filings showed decisions handed down in the trio of prosecutions, all being held in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The cases

See Full Page