Mistrial Declared in Alleged Drug Hitman's Trial
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A federal judge has declared a mistrial in the case against an alleged drug cartel hit man in south Texas.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez declared a mistrial in Laredo on Thursday in the case against Gerardo Castillo Chavez. That's after the jury acquitted him on a weapons charge and deadlocked on two other charges related to drugs and conspiracy.
Prosecutors accused Castillo — known by the nickname "Cheeks" — of being a member of Gulf Cartel hit squads that killed at least seven people in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, in 2005 and 2006.
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The only two witnesses who tied Castillo to the hit squads were both admitted killers.
Alvarez ordered a new trial set for Feb. 19 on the deadlocked charges.
Laredo is on the Texas-Mexico border, 145 miles southwest of San Antonio.