Opinion ID: 65055
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Payment of co-conspirators’ attorney’s fees

Text: After Pellot was released from custody in connection with the confiscated $75,000, he was picked up by a man named Mr. Garza who introduced himself as his lawyer. Pellot had not hired him or ever met him. Upon learning that Pellot had been arrested, Zuniga gave Pellot’s wife $5,000 cash to hire a lawyer, but he told her she must hire Garza. Pellot testified that Garza gave him no legal advice and only asked if he had agreed to cooperate with the police. When Pellot arrived home, Zuniga accused him of lying about the arrest and demanded documentation showing that the police had taken the $75,000. Zuniga also paid for an attorney to represent Compean after he was arrested crossing the border on August 4, 2006. In September 2006, Zuniga gave Leal a vehicle to sell for cash to use for Compean’s attorney’s fees. Later that month, he gave her $5,000 in cash for more attorney’s fees. Ysasi testified that he did not pay for the first attorney that represented him after he was arrested. He assumed that Zuniga had hired this attorney because no one in his family could afford it.