Go Directly to Jail

IN THE LONG AND PERVERSE ANNALS OF CRIME, FEW felons have matched the dizzying fall of Manuel Noriega: from Panamanian dictator to convicted drug dealer. He was still the ruler of his country when an American grand jury indicted him in February 1988 for narcotics trafficking. The following year the U.S. invasion of Panama led to his arrest.

Noriega’s trial on drug and racketeering charges began in Miami last September and finally ended last week. The jurors pondered for four days, then declared themselves deadlocked, with one adamantly for acquittal. The judge ordered them to try again. Next day, surprisingly, they agreed: Noriega was guilty on eight of the 10 counts, which carry a possible sentence of 120 years in prison. (See related story on page 65.)