Cuban mafia leader to be released

Many of you have been following the "Cuban Mafia" trial in front of Judge Gold. This is the case that was moving at a snail's pace because the lead defendant, 76 year old Jose Miguel Battle Sr., is extremely sick and trial can only be held 3 days a week for a couple hours a day. In fact, a lazy boy chair with a massage function was installed in the courtroom for Battle to sit in. Most times he sleeps through the trial. Trial has been going on for at least 4 months, and was expected (with Battle) to last many more months (which will be followed by a trial on the severed co-defendants). The government finally offered Battle an deal he couldn't refuse. Plead guilty and get a bond with sentencing postponed indefinitely. Battle took it so he could, in his attorney Jack Blumenfeld's words, "die at home rather than in jail.''

Here is the intro from the Herald article by Jay Weaver on the plea:

Jose Miguel Battle Sr., el padrino of the Cuban mafia, has pleaded guilty in the middle of his Miami racketeering trial because of failing health. But it is doubtful the reputed Cuban-American godfather, 76, will live long enough to serve prison time. "He's just very sick,'' said his attorney, Jack Blumenfeld. ``This way, he can die at home rather than in jail.'' The elder Battle, a Bay of Pigs veteran, needs a wheelchair and suffers from kidney and liver failure, diabetes and cardiac problems.