Bail Denied to Zuno in Murder of Drug Agent

A federal judge in Los Angeles Monday denied the bid of a prominent Mexican businessman to be released on bail while awaiting trial on charges that he played a key role in arranging the February, 1985, kidnaping and murder of U.S. drug agent Enrique Camarena.

Ruben Zuno Arce, 59, brother-in-law of former Mexican President Luis Echeverria, was accused last week, along with four others, of having “organized and put into operation a scheme to kidnap and murder” Camarena. Zuno’s attorneys, Edward Medvene, asserted that he should be released because twice he has returned to this country for court appearances on perjury charges, which also stem from the Camarena case.

But Assistant U.S. Atty. John L. Carlton argued that the two cases are quite different because Zuno, who has pleaded not guilty in both, now knows that if convicted on the new charges he faces life in prison.

In denying the request for bail, U.S. District Judge Edward Rafeedie said he felt Zuno represented a significant flight risk.