Special hearing will set trial for those accused of killing Marielle

Justice

Session will be on June 26th at 12 pm

Rio de Janeiro – RJ) – Judge Gustavo Kalil, from the 4th Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro, designated a special hearing for June 26, at 12:00 noon, to organize and prepare the jury for the trial of Ronnie Lessa and Elcio Queiroz, accused of killing councilwoman Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes. The crime was committed in 2018.

Judge Kalil’s decision considers “the complexity of the case, the great social interest and the numerous administrative steps” to install the plenary session. Representatives of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, assistants to the prosecution and technical defenses participate in the hearing.

The magistrate did not accept the defendants’ defense request to suspend the jury until the final judgment of the injunction by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and maintained the preventive detention of the accused. During the June 26 hearing, a trial date should be set. The judge also highlighted that the referred inquiry is confidential and aims to elucidate the fullness of the authorship of the crimes.

On March 14, 2018, an attack killed Rio de Janeiro councilor and human rights activist Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Pedro Gomes. The car in which Marielle was – and which was driven by Anderson – was shot 13 times in downtown Rio. Five years later, it is still unknown who ordered the crime.

The investigations led to the arrest of two perpetrators: retired military police officer Ronnie Lessa, for having shot the councilor; and driver and former military police officer Elcio de Queiroz. The motives and leaders of the attack remain unknown.

*With information from Agência Brasil

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