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El Chapo Claims He’s Kept Locked in His Jail Cell for 23 Hours a Day

2 minute read

Mexican drug lord Joaquín Guzmán, most commonly known as El Chapo, is reportedly having a tough time in prison.

According to the New York Times, Guzmán’s lawyers have filed a series of complaints on their client’s behalf concerning his treatment at the Metropolitan Correction Center in New York City. These filings claim Guzmán is being denied access to his family and the media, as well as being kept locked in his cell for “23 hours a day.” Guzmán’s lawyers are now asking Judge Brian M. Cogan of Federal District Court in Brooklyn to help improve their client’s jail conditions.

In the past, the Times reported, federal prosecutors pointed to Guzmán’s history to defend his restrictions, including the fact he’s twice escaped from high-security prisons in Mexico. Late last year, Guzmán’s wife said she was afraid that he was “losing his mind” in a Mexican jail. His lawyers also said Guzmán was sleep deprived while detained in Mexico.

Guzmán has since been extradited to the Correction Center, where he faces charges for drug trafficking and organized crime in the U.S.

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