Judge releases criminal who shot police officer in the head. MPRS resorts

Judge Paula Cardoso Esteves, from the 1st Criminal Court of Rio Grande, in Rio Grande do Sul, decided to release the criminal who shot a civil police officer in the head during an operation against drug trafficking in April last year. The shooter fired two more shots at the six police officers who were serving a search and seizure warrant, and for that reason he was charged with six attempted murders.

Police officer Laline Almeida Larratéa, from the 3rd Police Station of Rio Grande, who was hit in the head, suffered serious sequelae and remains away from work for more than a year after the incident. For the magistrate, however, there was no attempted murder, only a crime of resistance, which carries a sentence of two months to two years. With this understanding, the magistrate determined the release of the boy – who has a criminal record for drug trafficking, theft and reception.

“The elements presented demonstrate that the defendant, in order to oppose the execution of a legal act, by means of firearm shots, tried to prevent civil police officers from entering the property. It is evident, therefore, that the agent did not shoot with the intention of killing the police, but only to prevent the execution of compliance with the legal order”, said the magistrate.

The decision generated a strong feeling of revolt among civil police officers and members of the Public Ministry of Rio Grande do Sul (MPRS), who reported that they had already appealed the decision. “We strongly disagree with this decision and have already filed an appropriate appeal. We will take all appropriate measures in all instances so that the defendant is submitted to the Jury Court”, says Marcelo Fagundes Fischer, Criminal Justice Prosecutor of Rio Grande.

The coordinator of the Operational Support Center of the Jury Court’s Prosecutors, Marcelo Tubino, highlighted the risks to public safety brought about by the magistrate’s decision. “The insecurity generated by this decision, which puts not only Public Security agents at risk, but also the Criminal Prosecution System itself, is a matter of concern for the MPRS”, he says.

In the early afternoon of this Friday (23), the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the state released an official note expressing vehement disagreement with the judge’s decision. “The MPRS respects this decision, but vehemently disagrees because it is convinced that there was intent in the attempted murders, one of which left a civil police officer seriously injured in the head and with neurological sequelae that keep her away from work and bring her great suffering, family, friends and fellow police officers”, says an excerpt from the note.

“In this way, in addition to expressing solidarity with the civil police, the Public Ministry informs that it has already filed an appeal to reverse this decision and take the person responsible to the Jury Court to answer for the six intentional crime attempts against life”, he continues.