Marielle Franco’s murder jury case starts on Wednesday

Brasil de Fato

Former military police officers Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Queiroz will go to popular jury in the city of Rio de Janeiro, for the murder of councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes. The trial will start on Wednesday (30), at 9am.

The audience will take place after previous authorization by the Supreme Court in Brazil, at the request of Judge Gustavo Kalil, who will preside over the session. In his request, Kalil stated that “there is evidence of the materiality of the two homicide crimes”, and that “the jurisdiction of the jury is absolute, as it is constitutional. Therefore, according to the judge, the clash between the prosecution and the defense must be decided by the People’s Court.”

The popular jury will be composed by seven citizens that have no graduation from Law School, and must decide, together, conviction or acquittal of the accused.

In the event of a conviction, the judge in case will establish the sentence that each defendant must serve, based on the crimes and the specifics. The popular jury applies to intentional crimes of homicide, infanticide or participation in suicide.

Apart from Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Queiroz, also accused of involvement in the murder of Marielle and Anderson are the advisor to the Rio de Janeiro Court of Auditors, Domingos Brazão, and his brother, the federal deputy Chiquinho Brazão. They are being investigated on suspicion of being the masterminds of the execution.

Rivaldo Barbosa, former chief of civil police in the city, and Ronald Paulo Alves Pereira, military police major, helped determine the date and place of the attack. All of them are being investigated for murder and criminal organization and are under arrest.

Marielle was murdered in 2018