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Drug lord Guzman's lawyers split on extradition

Drug lord Guzman's lawyers split on extradition
Posted at 3:58 PM, May 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-28 15:58:40-04

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's fight to stave off extradition to the United States has led to a schism between his own lawyers.

After two of Guzman's attorneys filed an appeal against the extradition request, a third lawyer is quickly disavowing it.

Attorney Jose Refugio Rodriguez tells The Associated Press that the move was not authorized by Guzman and "hinders our defense." He says his client will not sign off on the appeal, which means the courts would not act on it.

Rodriguez said Saturday that the two lawyers who filed it are not part of the team working on the extradition case. That team is still considering the government's arguments and plans an appeal in the coming weeks that "El Chapo" will approve.