Drug convictions overturned thanks to Death Saint

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2013 file photo, statues of La Santa Muerte, an underworld saint most recently associated with the violent drug trade in Mexico, are shown at the Masks y Mas art store in Albuquerque, N.M. Two Oklahoma residents have had their federal firearms and drug-trafficking convictions in New Mexico overturned thanks to the skeleton saint known as La Santa Muerte, which translates to "Saint Death" in English. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, July 2, 2014, a Santa Muerte expert tainted the convictions of 53-year-old Rafael Goxcon-Chagal and 38-year-old Maria Vianey Medina-Copete. Both were convicted in August 2012 for trafficking methamphetamine. Authorities say a Santa Muerte prayer card was found with the couple during a traffic stop that led to their 2011 arrests. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File) FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2013 file photo, statues of La Santa Muerte, an underworld saint most recently associated with the violent drug trade in Mexico, are shown at the Masks y Mas art store in Albuquerque, N.M. Two Oklahoma residents have had their federal firearms and drug-trafficking convictions in New Mexico overturned thanks to the skeleton saint known as La Santa Muerte, which translates to "Saint Death" in English. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, July 2, 2014, a Santa Muerte expert tainted the convictions of 53-year-old Rafael Goxcon-Chagal and 38-year-old Maria Vianey Medina-Copete. Both were convicted in August 2012 for trafficking methamphetamine. Authorities say a Santa Muerte prayer card was found with the couple during a traffic stop that led to their 2011 arrests. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File)

By Associated Press July 2, 2014 3 min read

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – Firearms and drug-trafficking convictions for two Oklahoma residents were overturned Wednesday thanks to a skeleton saint known as La Santa Muerte.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a law enforcement expert on Santa Muerte tainted the convictions of Rafael Goxcon-Chagal, 53, and Maria Vianey Medina-Copete, 38, by testifying the folk saint was “a very good indicator of possible criminal activity.”

That testimony was close to “psychobabble and substantially influenced the outcome” of the trial, the appeals court wrote.

The appeals court ordered a new trial for the couple.

Goxcon-Chagal and Medina-Copete, both of Tulsa, Oklahoma, were convicted in August 2012 of trafficking methamphetamine. In addition to illegal drugs, a Santa Muerte prayer card was found with the couple during a traffic stop that led to their 2011 arrests, authorities said.