After more than six years of investigations, former police officers Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Queiroz were sentenced this Thursday (31) for the murders of councilwoman Marielle Franco (PSOL) and driver Anderson Gomes, in March 2018, in Rio de Janeiro. Lessa was sentenced to 78 years and 9 months in prison, plus 30 days of fines. Élcio was sentenced to 59 years and 8 months, plus 10 days of fines. As both made plea deals, they are not expected to serve the full sentence.
The verdict was delivered after a trial by the 4th Jury Court of Rio de Janeiro, which began at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday (30) and concluded at 6:26 p.m. on Thursday (31). They were ordered to pay moral damages of R$ 706,000 to each of the following family members of the victims: Marinete da Silva (Marielle’s mother), Mônica Benício (widow), Luyara Franco (daughter), Agatha Arnaus (Anderson’s widow), and Arthur (Anderson’s son). They will also have to pay a pension to Anderson’s son, who has health issues, until he turns 24—he is currently 8. The sentence was read by Judge Lúcia Glioche, who presided over the trial and gave a stern message to the accused and to hitmen in Rio de Janeiro.
Read more at Folha de S. Paulo
