Lt. Col. Jean-Claude Paul ( ? - November 1989) was a Haiti

Haiti

Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...

an military officer alleged to have been involved in the illegal drug trade in Haiti

Illegal drug trade in Haiti

The illegal drug trade in Haiti involves trans-shipment of cocaine and marijuana to the United States. It is a major shipment route. The island of Hispaniola, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic, places it in an ideal location for drug smugglers, between Colombia and Puerto Rico...

. He was indicted by a Miami court on 10 March 1988 for allegedly trafficking cocaine. He was found dead in November 1989.

Paul's battalion was responsible for security in Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....

. The New York Times wrote that "Witnesses say it was his troops who opened fired several times on street protesters during the summer of 1987, killing more than 30 people. To what extent his troops took part in the killing that halted elections in Haiti

Haitian presidential election, 1987

The 1987 Haitian presidential election took place on 29 November 1987. The election was cancelled after troops led by Service d'Intelligence National member Col Jean Claude Paul massacred 30 - 300 voters on election day. Jimmy Carter later wrote that "Citizens who lined up to vote were mowed down...

 last fall is unclear. But his soldiers did not provide protection then or during an attack on a Roman Catholic church

St Jean Bosco massacre

The St Jean Bosco massacre took place in Haiti on 11 September 1988. At least 13 people were killed and around 80 wounded in a three-hour assault on the Saint-Jean Bosco church in Port-au-Prince, which saw the church burned down...

 in Port-au-Prince this month."

Paul was commander of the Dessalines barracks until 14 June 1988, when he was transferred by Henri Namphy

Henri Namphy

Henri Namphy was a Haitian general and political figure. He served as President of Haiti's interim ruling body, the National Council of Government, from 7 February 1986 to 7 February 1988...

 (as part of a number of military reassignments by Namphy) to army headquarters and made Assistant Head of the General Staff. Paul telephoned President Leslie Manigat

Leslie Manigat

Leslie François Saint Roc Manigat was elected president of Haiti by a tightly controlled military held election in January 1988.-In education:...

 to protest the move, and the following day Manigat issued a statement cancelling the changes, and saying that he, as constitutional head of the army, had not been consulted. On 19 June Manigat retired Namphy, saying he had been preparing a coup. On 20 June Namphy ousted Manigat in the June 1988 Haitian coup d'état

June 1988 Haitian coup d'état

The June 1988 Haitian coup d'état took place on 20 June 1988, when Henri Namphy overthrew Leslie Manigat. Manigat, who won the military-controlled Haitian presidential election, 1988, had taken office on 7 February....

, declaring himself President with Col. Jean-Claude Paul at his side.