
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 5, 1990                   TAG: 9005050263
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: MIAMI                                LENGTH: Short

JUDGE ORDERS ACCOUNT OF NORIEGA FUNDS HELD

A federal judge Friday ordered prosecutors to come up with a list of $20 million in assets seized from Manuel Noriega, saying some of the money must have come from the deposed Panamanian ruler's legitimate activities.

During an hour-long hearing prompted by defense attorneys' request to withdraw from the case, lead defense lawyer Frank Rubino claimed that U.S. intelligence agencies paid $11 million to Noriega, with another $6 million coming from foreign governments.

"I don't know if you can call money from the CIA tainted or not, but it's certainly not drug money," said Rubino.

U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler said while Noriega could not use "ill-gotten gains" to pay his attorneys, the government could not arbitrarily seize money without proving he had earned it through illegal means.

Defense attorneys have demanded the frozen accounts be released, saying they can no longer afford to represent Noriega in the complex and expensive case without being paid. - Associated Press

by CNB