Jury will see Cocaine Cowboy’s tweets, media interviews in fraud trial
If they're picked for the jury in a new federal case against Munday, they can see some of that in trial, too -- but prosecutors won't get to shine a spotlight on the Cocaine Cowboys documentary that turned the ex-pilot from
That would be too prejudicial,
"I'm trying to minimize the term Cocaine Cowboy being used," Scola said, acknowledging later: "He's in a more unique situation than most defendants with a criminal past."
But the judge did approve a request from prosecutors to show Munday's Twitter page, in which he dubs himself the "original Cocaine Cowboy," and one short clip from the film. The reason: the fraud ring's leader will testify that he recruited Munday specifically because of his notoriety from the 2006 documentary.
"If you speak to anyone who has talked to
Munday, 72, goes to trial Tuesday on allegations that he helped transport stolen or about-to-be-repossessed cars from
He was indicted last May along with seven other men. He is charged with conspiracy and mail fraud.
In the documentary by
In recent years, Munday has built an active social-media presence, appeared on his own podcast called "Tall Tales" and been interviewed for various other radio and TV broadcasts. But some of those statements will now come back to haunt him. Among them that the judge will allow into evidence:
-- Munday, in the Cocaine Cowboys clip, talking about using tow trucks for contraband because the drivers could deny knowing anything about the goods. Prosecutors allege he used a tow truck to move stolen cars to
-- In a radio interview, the ponytailed defendant saying, "If it flies, rolls or floats, I was the guy that moved it ... you become the
-- A tweet about how cops never pull over tow-truck drivers. His defense attorney,
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