Former cocaine kingpin concedes priority is getting out of jail

Former cocaine kingpin Raymond Morales is quick to admit his priority is getting out of prison.

Testifying in U.S. District Court in Camden yesterday, Morales said he once thought becoming a government witness to bring down the multimillion-dollar drug organization he operated was the worst thing he'd ever done.

Upon reflection, it was his participation in six murders that was, perhaps, worse, he said, speaking clearly and with no remorse.

"You've got to understand, that's the life I was living at the time," he testified. "That's when I was in the drug game. ... Things happen."

Morales, 37, who is in a witness-protection program, is testifying against accused hit man Juan Rivera-Velez, 35, who is charged with drug conspiracy, murder, and witness tampering.

Both men are facing possible life sentences. Rivera-Velez has pleaded innocent; Morales pleaded guilty to a nine-count indictment, including six murders. Rivera-Velez, prosecutors say, was the trigger man in one of those murders and in the attempted murder of another man targeted to cover up the slaying.

After two days of questioning by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Carrig, Rivera-Velez' defense attorney, Harold Shapiro, began cross examination, questioning whether Morales, who started selling drugs at 13, had any reason to cooperate other than to help himself.

"If you didn't cooperate, you would never see the light of day?" Shapiro asked.

"They'd probably give me lethal injection," Morales responded, adding later, "I'm hoping to come home one day."

In exchange for this cooperation, prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. Prosecutors also may write a support memo for U.S. District Judge Joseph Irenas to consider at sentencing.

Morales testified against three others last year. So far, 23 people have been convicted. Rivera-Velez, also known as "Two Face," is the last to stand trial.

Last week, Morales told how he became close to Rivera-Velez, especially after Rivera-Velez was severely disfigured in a car accident. Morales said he visited Rivera-Velez frequently, warmed food for him, and even vacuumed.

"What kind of vacuum was it?" Shapiro asked yesterday. Morales didn't know.

He did, however, recall the night the two went to Obsession's, a Camden bar where they had numerous beers and tequila shots before luring rival drug dealer Manuel Batista to his death in 1996.

Morales said Rivera-Velez shot Batista. Shapiro has pointed out that witnesses identified two other men, neither of whom was Rivera-Velez. Morales also said Rivera-Velez shot Rafael Colon-Rodriguez on his order in 2003 after Colon-Rodriguez threatened to tell authorities about the Batista murder.

Under questioning, Morales admitted yesterday that he lied, cheated, stole and killed when it was in his best interest.

"I kind of made up my own rules," he testified. "I made them, broke them, and sometimes I enforced them."

The trial will resume today.