Uribe's government makes another score: Court overturns conviction in 1989 assassination of Colombia

[Judi Lynn]

Court overturns conviction in 1989 assassination of Colombian presidential candidate
By CARLOS GONZALEZ | Associated Press Writer
11:01 PM EDT, October 22, 2008

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) _ A court on Wednesday overturned the conviction of a former Colombian justice minister accused of masterminding the 1989 assassination of presidential candidate and anti-drug cartel crusader Luis Carlos Galan.

The tribunal found there was insufficient evidence to convict Alberto Santofimio and ordered that he be set free, said Jesael Giraldo, spokesman for the Cundinamarca state court. It was not clear when Santofimio would be released from prison.

~snip~
The court convicted Santofimio of ordering a hit squad under the command of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar to kill Galan — both to boost his own candidacy and prevent Escobar's extradition to the United States.

Santofimio was running for the Liberal Party nomination against Galan, whose charisma and perceived moral rectitude drew comparisons to the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Escobar and members of his Medellin cartel feared Galan's victory would mean their extradition to the United States.

~snip~
Galan, who was shot and killed while campaigning south of Bogota, was so far ahead in the polls for the 1990 presidential elections that he was virtually assured of victory. His campaign manager, Cesar Gaviria, ran in his place after the attack and was elected president.

http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-lt-colombia-assassination-trial,0,2874882.story