Transcript for April 9, 1992: Verdict reached in Manuel Noriega trial

There was a moment for the history books today in Miami the first leader of a foreign nation ever taken by force and brought to the United States for trial has been found guilty. General Manuel Noriega the former dictator of Panama was convicted on eight of ten drug and racketeering counts. And here's ABC's mark potter. Or five days a US marshals van had brought the twelve jurors to the Miami federal courthouse to deliberate. Yesterday they said they were deadlocked today they returned a verdict. General Noriega. Guilty of racketeering and conspiracy. For protecting shipments of cocaine from Panama to the United States. Guilty of assisting this cocaine smuggler. Guilty of supplying chemicals for this cocaine lab in Colombia and for protecting another cocaine lab in Panama. He was found not guilty of helping smuggle cocaine aboard this yacht. General Noriega showed no emotion as the verdict was read outside prosecutors. Were jubilant it was all worth it. And we're proud of what we did. What the agents did most of all. A US grand jury indicted Noriega for years ago but he was not arrested until January 1990. After the US invasion of Panama. He has been in custody ever sense. Noriega was accused of what amounted to selling his country to Colombia's Medellin cocaine cartel. Under his protection traffickers allegedly manufactured and smuggled tons of drugs through Panama to the United States. And laundered billions of dollars in illegal profits. In closing arguments a prosecutor described Noriega as a crooked and rotten cop who received 24 million dollars in bribes. But defense attorneys claim the US drug charges were nothing but a political vendetta against an unpopular dictator. They said many of the prosecution witnesses were confessed drug traffickers lying in exchange for lesser prison sentences. Noriega they argued was actually a US ally in the war on drugs. Noriega himself never took the witness stand. This decision was difficult. And it was our decision there. Was heavily debated back and forth. Defense attorneys will appeal as a victory for America's foreign policy. In destroying countries who don't yelling give praise. General Noriega will be sentenced on July 10 and could get up to a 120 years in prison. And he still faces marijuana smuggling charges. Mark potter ABC news Miami.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.