NATION : Bond Set at $1 Million for Aide of Noriega, Money Laundry Pilot
A federal magistrate set $1-million bond for a co-defendant of deposed Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega today and attorneys huddled for discussions about Noriega’s detention in the courthouse basement.
U.S. Magistrate Peter Palermo set the $1 million bail for Daniel Miranda, who is charged with flying from Ft. Lauderdale to Panama with $800,000 in laundered drug money. But prosecutors appealed the bail, meaning that Miranda, 36, could not immediately be released.
Miranda’s attorney, Michael O’Kane was late to court because he was attacked near his home by a masked man with a foot-long crowbar. Police have a suspected assailant under arrest.
O’Kane, his head bandaged but still bleeding when he arrived in court, said his attacker offered to tell who sent him only if assault charges were dropped, but the attorney said he does not plan to drop the charges.
O’Kane’s report of the attack prompted federal marshals to increase security for Palermo.
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