obama administration cut deal to extend immunity to mexican drug cartel in exchange for "information" on other cartels .... part of the inducement for the deal, guns to the cartel from "fast and furious" ....

and, so it is alleged by a criminal defendant.

a criminal defendant in a chicago, illinois federal court has interposed a defense of "immunity" to the drug charges brought against him.  he claims that his "cartel" was extended immunity in exchange for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of others, and, that as an added inducement, his "group" was to receive weapons from operation "fast and furious."

in short, this criminal defendant is alleging in support of his motion to make the government produce documents memorializing the immunity agreement, that the united states government induced the deal by paying the drug runners in guns.  "fast and furious" is now linked, by the assertion of an alleged drug dealer, that a deal existed between u.s. justice department and a mexican drug cartel, to supply the latter with illegal weapons.  again, a defendant in an illinois federal district courtroom has filed discovery demands with the justice department, for the department to release documents (e.g., provide to the defendant upon "discovery") that would prove his assertion that he is immune from prosecution for drug trafficking, because his crime organization was extended immunity from prosecution in exchange for providing information on other cartels/syndicates/gangs/what have you.  he asserts that part of the quid pro quo to this was the receipt of weapons from "fast and furious." 

 http://cnsnews.com/news/article/fast-and-furious-linked-immunity-deal-between-us-and-sinaloa-cartel-trafficking   from the story, "fast and furious" linked to deal between the u.s. and sinaloa cartel, trafficking defendant alleges in court papers," by edwin mora, 12.29.3011 at cnsnews.com.

in my career defending low end drug traffickers never once did i ever have one mention that he enjoyed immunity from prosecution by way of an immunity agreement drawn between the united states and his drug cartel.  well, there is always room for a first, isn't there.  the very audacity of the claim suggests that it was not something spun out of whole cloth by this defendant.  who knows, perhaps he helped negotiate it?  with whom?

john jay @ 1.30.2011