Guerrero Seeking Dismissal of Case

Former Dodger Pedro Guerrero, seeking to have his cocaine conspiracy charges thrown out, says federal drug agents failed to tell him he could contact the Dominican embassy before he was questioned.

His lawyers recently sought a dismissal in Miami federal court. Guerrero contends Drug Enforcement Administration investigators did not inform him of his rights.

Guerrero, 43, is a Dominican citizen who lives in Miami. He was a four-time All-Star with the Dodgers and a World Series co-most valuable player in 1981. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals before retiring in 1992.

He was arrested in September and charged with trying to buy 33 pounds of cocaine from undercover agents. He is free on $100,000 bail.

Guerrero’s lawyers say he would not have made incriminating statements if he had first spoken to his country’s embassy.

Guerrero only has an elementary school education and says he speaks limited English, despite living in the United States full- or part-time since the 1970s.

“Mr. Guerrero is an unlettered man who has no training in the American legal system,” Guerrero lawyer Milton Hirsch wrote the court. “Familiarity with the infield fly rule does not equate with familiarity with the exclusionary rule.”

The government has not commented on Guerrero’s case, but DEA reports say Guerrero was told about his Miranda rights to remain silent and legal counsel. They do not mention the Vienna Convention, however.

Under that treaty, law enforcement agencies worldwide are required to inform arrested foreigners that they can contact their embassies. But the treaty does not provide any rights not given to the arresting country’s own citizens.

The United States is one of 163 countries that signed the convention.

Figure Skating

Irina Slutskaya, in a free program set to melodies from “Carmen,” beat world champion Maria Butyrskaya and won the Russian Figure Skating Championships at Russia.

Slutskaya landed five triple jumps, including a clean triple-double combination, to take the title. Butyrskaya, a six-time Russian champion, was second.

Along with the pressure of trying to defend her title, Butyrskaya was unnerved by the mysterious explosion of her car Thursday, just before she was to leave for the arena. Witnesses reportedly saw two people running from the car shortly before the blast. Butyrskaya thinks the explosion was a warning, “but I don’t know as a warning of what.”

Ice Hockey

Evgeny Muratov, 18, had four goals and two assists as Russia routed Kazakhstan, 14-1, in the opening round of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships at Stockholm. In the other group B game, Flavien Conne notched two goals to lead Switzerland to a 6-2 victory over Ukraine.

In group A action at nearby Skelleftea, the Czech Republic beat Slovakia, 5-2, and Canada, last year’s second-place finisher, notched a 3-2 victory over Finland.

The U.S. plays its first game in the tournament today against the Czech Republic.

Names in the News

Victor Valle, who trained heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney and many other boxers, has died in New York. He was 82.