Sosa, 27, was expected back on the stand yesterday morning. He had begun testifying late Thursday afternoon, denying the allegations that have been presented during five weeks of testimony.
Sosa and seven codefendants are named in a sweeping racketeering indictment that includes charges of murder, murder conspiracy, kidnapping, torture, rape and drug dealing.
The government alleges that the Philadelphia branch of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation was a criminal enterprise headed by Sosa.
Sosa spent about an hour on the witness stand denying the charges. He told the jury that drug dealing, violence and other acts of criminality are "against the rules" of the Latin Kings.
Former members of the organization have testified that Sosa ordered their beatings for infractions of Latin King codes and that he issued "terminate on sight" orders for those he wanted eliminated.
The case includes one murder and several murder conspiracies. There also is an allegation that codefendant Angel "King Pleasure" Serrano raped a Latin Queen after she was kidnapped and beaten by other members of the organization.
The trial is expected to go to the jury late next week. Sosa could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of the more serious charges.
Contact staff writer George Anastasia at 856-779-3846 or ganastasia@phillynews.com.
