Al Sanchez Asks for a New Trial

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jul 16, 2009 7:00PM

Former Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Al Sanchez, who was convicted earlier this year on federal corruption charges, is asking for a new trial in light of new developments in the case. Sanchez, who was convicted in March of rigging hiring through his position as a city commissioner and his role in the Hispanic Democratic Organization, has asked the judge for a new trial, citing prosecutors failure to disclose that a key government witness was a high-ranking gang member and drug-trafficker. According to Sanchez's lawyer Thomas Breen, Brian Gabriel, who testified against Sanchez in the corruption trial, was a member of the Spanish Vice Lords. "It is hard to imagine information that is more impeaching of a witness than self-admitted gang membership, even if such membership is in the past," Breen said. "The evidence of gang membership was also no doubt suppressed by the government. The prosecution learned of Gabriel's gang affiliation prior to trial and prior to Gabriel's testimony yet did not disclose it to the defense."

The FBI agent assigned to the case discovered Gabriel's gang affiliation in April, about a month after the trial, and notified the judge in a sealed filing because the case was still under investigation. Breen said that records show that Gabriel was selling drugs the day after he met with prosecutors for a pre-trial interview. Breen hopes that this information can be used to get a new trial, and then be used to tarnish the credibility of a key government witness.