Mexican Leader Proposes Justice Reforms

By MARK STEVENSON
Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- President Felipe Calderon on Friday proposed sweeping reforms to Mexico's justice system, including U.S.-style trials and a unified criminal code.

Antiquated procedures and a lack of transparency in Mexico's legal system make it hard for officials to imprison criminals and fire corrupt police, and the system has little public trust.

Calderon told a gathering of legislators and legal experts he would send to Congress proposals that would make it easier to fire corrupt police officers and seize criminals' property. Some of the measures would require constitutional changes.

"Many of our laws have been outstripped by the complexity of the crime problem, and it is time to reform our justice system, to bring it up to date with new realities," Calderon said. "We have problems, unfortunately, of police forces being infiltrated all over the country."

Calderon is pushing for a nationwide transition to trials similar to those in the U.S., which some of Mexico's 31 states have already partially adopted.