James Kuykendall Disputes Characterization in “The Last Narc”
Former DEA Agent James Kuykendall issued a statement through his lawyer saying that the characterization of him in Amazon Prime’s new series The Last Narc is completely inaccurate.
Released earlier in 2020, The Last Narc focuses on the 1985 murder of U.S. DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. According to the series, Camarena’s death was the result of a government conspiracy that included the decorated federal agent, Jaime Kuykendall.
“Mr. Kuykendall dedicated his life to law enforcement and was, at all times, unequivocally loyal to his country and to his fellow agents,” said Kuykendall’s lawyer, Greg Gutzler.
“Amazon and other sources have besmirched Mr. Kuykendall’s character and denigrated his record of service to our country.”
In his formal statement, Kuykendall said “The Amazon ‘documentary’ series, The Last Narc, is riddled with fiction that is camouflaged as ‘fact’. To catch eyeballs, and in knowing disregard of the truth, the Amazon producers falsely painted me as corrupt.
James Kuykendall’s Statement to the Press
“That insinuation is patently false – I have always been loyal and faithful in my duties and to my colleagues. The producers were provided ample opportunity to sufficiently research and vet many of the assertions made in the show, yet they preferred sensational conspiracy theories and relied on unreliable witnesses to paint a picture of the events surrounding Enrique Camarena’s death and the subsequent investigations and trials. As a result, Amazon released an inaccurate documentary series, which they put forth as the truth.
By doing so, The Last Narc and related publications, which continue to crop up, ultimately harm the reputation of honest men, tarnish the legacy of Enrique Camarena, and falsely paint a picture of incompetence—and even corruption—among the law enforcement professionals who put their lives on the line to conduct investigations into the murder of their friend and colleague. This brazen disregard for the truth is both harmful to my reputation and causes undue emotional distress for Mr. Camarena’s family and friends.
“My former DEA colleagues, as well as law enforcement officers and many others who knew me and Mr. Camarena during the time of the events examined in The Last Narc and related publications, were, and continue to be shocked by the lack of diligence or care with which the publishers, producers, and participants in the documentary have spun and misrepresented the facts.
“The accusations of corruption against me are patently false. Prior to the publication of the documentary:
- I specifically discussed elements of the proposed show with producers;
- gave them facts to set the record straight; and
- urged them to be diligent in their search for the truth and in their portrayal of the facts.
“The producers, however, disregarded these conversations and information and instead produced a documentary putting forth falsehoods as fact and harming me and others in the process.
“I will defend my reputation and honor, and the facts will prove that truth. I have retained legal counsel and intend to pursue justice for myself and my fellow agents and their families.”
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