{"id":80148,"date":"2024-12-02T14:33:08","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T17:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=80148"},"modified":"2026-03-13T12:42:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T15:42:33","slug":"marielle-francos-assassins-convicted-by-jury-justice-is-sometimes-slow-blind-stupid-unfair-wrong-and-crooked-but-it-always-comes-says-judge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=80148","title":{"rendered":"Marielle Franco’s Assassins Convicted: ‘Justice is Slow, Blind, Stupid, Unfair, Wrong, and Crooked. But It Always Comes,’ Says Judge"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Protesters<\/a>
Protesters gather in front of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice for the Dawn for Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes rally. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/i><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/h4>\n

On October 30 and 31, after over six years of waiting, the trial of the killers of councilwoman and human rights defender Marielle Franco<\/a> and her driver Anderson Gomes<\/a> finally took place. The two were ambushed and killed on March 14, 2018, in Est\u00e1cio<\/a>, in central<\/a> Rio de Janeiro.<\/em><\/p>\n

At 7am on October 30, family members, friends, and activists gathered in front of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJ-RJ<\/a>) for the \u201cDawn for Marielle and Anderson\u201d rally, demanding justice. Organized by the Marielle Franco Institute<\/a>, the Justice for Marielle and Anderson Committee, Amnesty Brazil<\/a>, Global Justice<\/a>, and Land of Rights<\/a>, the rally called for accountability from the assassins and reparations for both the families and society.<\/p>\n

\"Protesters<\/a>
Protesters and journalists gather in front of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice for the Dawn for Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes rally. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first morning’s events were coordinated by Flavia Candido, a mother, teacher, and resident of Complexo da Mar\u00e9<\/a>. A former advisor to Marielle and now a parliamentary advisor to State Deputy Renata Souza<\/a>, she also coordinates the Mar\u00e9 0800 Collective<\/a> and is a dedicated human rights defender. Candido delivered powerful remarks about the struggle sparked by Marielle and so many other Black women.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve been holding Dawn for Marielle and Anderson rallies throughout Brazil since October 10, calling for justice. Today is a day when the State can respond to Marielle and Anderson\u2019s families, as well as to all the mothers of victims of the State<\/a>\u2014something that has been denied to them many times this year<\/a>\u2026 For this reason, the cry for justice for Marielle and Anderson is a cry that echoes in response to the families of victims present here today. Marielle has become a symbol of the seeds that are thriving today\u2014strong, vigorous: Black women who have been elected, Black women fighting many other battles, and Black men who, inspired by Marielle, are sowing these seeds both inside and outside of parliaments, seeking more inclusive public policies and always advocating for justice. When Mari entered that House (City Council), which was not built for bodies like ours, she said something deeply meaningful: ‘Before me came Jurema Baptista<\/a>, and before her came Benedita da Silva<\/a>.’ Since Mari\u2019s execution, we managed to place three Black women<\/a> in that House. However, it is not just about occupying that space; it is about understanding that these bodies are not disposable. It is about understanding that abolition must truly happen. These bodies here are not targets, and that is what the State needs to grasp. Marielle\u2019s execution is the responsibility of the State. Marielle was the rapporteur for the federal intervention<\/a> in Rio de Janeiro, and it is crucial that this be understood.\u201d \u2014 Flavia Candido<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Flavia<\/a>
Flavia Candido speaks in front of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice surrounded by family members of victims of State violence. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A sociologist and councilwoman, Marielle was elected in her first electoral campaign in 2016 with 46,502 votes\u2014the fifth most-voted<\/a> candidate in Rio de Janeiro that year. She stood out as a Black woman born and raised in favelas, LGBTQIAPN+<\/a>, and a human rights defender. From the favelas of Complexo da Mar\u00e9, she served for nearly ten years as advisor to State Deputy Marcelo Freixo<\/a>, leading the Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly’s (ALERJ) Human Rights Commission<\/a> prior to her election to City Council. Once elected, in 2018, Marielle became rapporteur on the federal intervention<\/a> of Rio. Her work focused on defending the rights of Black women and favela residents, fighting police violence and militias, and advocating for favela residents\u2019 land rights<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The family\u2019s arrival at the Court of Justice was marked by demonstrations of support, care, and solidarity as they were welcomed with sunflowers. This flower became the symbol of Marielle\u2019s 2016 campaign<\/a>. Afterward, the family held a press conference where they shared their expectations for the trial.<\/p>\n

\"Marielle<\/a>
Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes’ family members hold a press conference for the media and those present. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYesterday, we were asked how we\u2019ve managed to come this far. When I got into the car, I remembered my mother saying it felt like we were arriving at the funeral all over again. It\u2019s been almost seven years of deep pain, of an emptiness left by a woman who fought precisely against this and was murdered in such a brutal way. But we\u2019ve always stayed strong, even in the face of challenges and adversity. I believe this has a lot to do with the upbringing we received from both my mother and my father.<\/p>\n

Then, we were asked what Marielle\u2019s most important legacy was, and I believe it\u2019s this right here: the people who understand and have been fighting alongside us. We are a bit at a loss for words today. We\u2019re deeply moved by everything because it feels like reliving all those moments again. We arrived at the crime scene and found Marielle the way we found her, then faced the moment of identifying Mari\u2019s body at the coroner\u2019s office, and after that came the emotional avalanche that followed\u2014something we would not wish on anyone, or any family. If we look back and see all the people who are with us\u2014the mothers, the daughters, the sisters, the wives, the partners\u2014who also went through this and continue to do so, then today, the meaning of the word justice goes far beyond what will happen. We\u2019ve been saying for some time that justice would be having them here with us. But sadly, we live in a society, in a country where justice is not the norm. From the impunity my father speaks of, to the lack of justice. How many women and men are waiting for a moment like this! We had to stay strong. Today is another step forward, and we hope it is a step that will serve as an example of strength, a step that marks the fact that it can\u2019t be normal to murder a woman with five shots to the head. It\u2019s not normal to wait seven years for justice. It\u2019s not normal to keep witnessing people being shot in the head while they doze off on a bus. The violence that plagues this country is not normal. As long as we have the strength, we will keep fighting\u2014not just for Mari, because her loss affects us in a deeply personal way, but also to confront the reality in which Black bodies are murdered, attacked, and slaughtered in every way possible, with no punishment. We have fought hard and will continue fighting for all those who come after us, for my daughters, for my granddaughters, and for all future generations, so that we can have a safer place.\u201d \u2014 Anielle Franco<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Minister<\/a>
Minister of Racial Equality Anielle Franco, Marielle’s sister, during the press conference. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the most powerful voices at the press conference was Marinete da Silva<\/a>, Marielle Franco\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is a historic day for us, for me as a mother, for our family, and for all of you who stood by us through these six years and seven months. With your support, we are facing this jury with strength, determination, and faith, to make it clear how important it is for these men to be convicted today. After all this time, it feels like today is the real day they took my daughter from me. Seeing all of you here, that\u2019s exactly how I feel\u2014reliving that pain. But we\u2019ll try to overcome it, even after all this time. It\u2019s impossible not to get emotional, not to thank each one of you who has been with us through these years. We are here today for you, for all of you who never let go, who stood by us so we could be here together. We are forever grateful! We will be facing these men, who are confessed defendants, to say that this is not normal anywhere, in any democracy\u2014to do what they did to my daughter and to other children, both before and after mine. We\u2019ll be here today with you, joining forces. For this family, which has suffered so much all these years, it is crucial that these men are convicted and that death is not normalized; that lives like my daughter\u2019s are not trivialized. I stand here today with other mothers, with others who feel the same pain. The support we\u2019re receiving today means so much. We will continue to move forward, with all our strength and determination. They must be convicted. We need to send a message to Rio, to Brazil, and to the world.\u201d \u2014 Marinete da Silva<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Marinete<\/a>
Marinete da Silva, Marielle Franco\u2019s mother. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the family entered the court, the rally continued with a march to the statue of Marielle Franco<\/a>, located at Buraco do Lume<\/a>, a traditional site for social demonstrations in the city. A public lecture about the case, addressing its context and social impact, was organized at Buraco do Lume on October 31.<\/p>\n

\"Marielle<\/a>
Marielle Franco’s and Anderson Gomes’ families arrive in Court after the press conference, surrounded by their teams and journalists. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the assassination to the trial, the investigations were often marked by controversy. Changes in police chiefs and judicial obstacles further reveal the power and level of involvement of militia members and political figures as masterminds behind the crime. The political feminicide of Marielle Franco underscores, above all, the infiltration of militia power into the State. Since the early years, public and international pressure has been intense\u2014growing and solidifying through demonstrations and campaigns demanding justice and accountability for the assassins, accomplices, and masterminds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been saying that the omission of information by the then head of the Civil Police<\/a> was perhaps one of the biggest surprises. I recall images of the chief of police with my parents, with \u00c1gatha [Anderson Gomes’ wife], with everyone who said they were determined to solve the case. For us, it was a shock. We always understood the peculiarity and complexity of the case, but we also recognize the work done so far\u2014despite interruptions, despite all the changes and shifts. Now, we understand who the people in there are\u2026 Politics, power, money, and the certainty of impunity. So, while we acknowledge that the investigations have progressed, we also know how difficult it was to get to where we are today. Each step forward is one more step toward the certainty of justice.\u201d \u2014 Anielle Franco<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Protester<\/a>
Protester holds a sunflower, symbolizing memory and resistance in honor of Marielle Franco. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The confessed assassins of Councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes, former military police officers Ronnie Lessa and \u00c9lcio Queiroz<\/a>, are both linked to illegal activities, including involvement with militias. They were arrested following investigations that identified them by tracking the movements of the cloned car used in the crime.<\/p>\n

In mid-2023, after years in prison, they entered into plea bargains<\/a> to reduce their sentences. The accused, Ronnie Lessa and \u00c9lcio Queiroz, are facing charges for three crimes: double homicide with three aggravating circumstances (base motive, ambush, and means that impaired the victims’ ability to defend themselves), attempted homicide against Fernanda Chaves\u2014Marielle\u2019s advisor at the time and the sole survivor of the ambush\u2014and the receipt of stolen property: the cloned silver Cobalt used in the crime.<\/p>\n

\"Protesters<\/a>
Protesters march from the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice to Buraco do Lume as part of ongoing demonstrations in support of Marielle and Anderson. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Claudia Alexandre, mother of three victims of lethal State violence\u2014Cassio Felipe, 14, killed by a police officer at the entrance to his school; Alecsandro Alexandre, 15, killed just like his brother: by a police officer at the entrance to his school; and Matheus Bruno, shot three times in the back with a rifle by a police officer, while walking down the street\u2014shared her expectations about the trial for the murder of Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy expectation for today is that they be convicted. They\u2019ve been well instructed; they\u2019re militia members. The militia have spread their organization across all 92 municipalities in Rio de Janeiro. And these two are convicted murderers. Justice must be served, and may they stay in prison. Our unity strengthens us and keeps our belief in justice alive, even after the sluggishness of these six long years. This is what the State does\u2014can you imagine? This terrible delay in delivering justice, this long and draining process to get to Court, has taken a toll on this family\u2019s psychological and physical health, and the State doesn\u2019t take any responsibility for it. It\u2019s time to stop. It\u2019s time for justice to prevail, even after six years. To all the families who are still waiting, who\u2019ve been through this or are still going through it\u2014don\u2019t give up. Don\u2019t be afraid, because fear kills you. It doesn\u2019t empower you. When we\u2019re fearless, they\u2019re the ones who should worry. We are the ones leading. Seventy percent of those incarcerated are young Black people aged 18 to 29, and it\u2019s the same with deaths. The State only knows how to kill, and when it doesn\u2019t kill, it incarcerates. When it doesn\u2019t incarcerate, it leaves us bleeding on the ground. This is extremely serious. The State must take responsibility and put an end to this immediately, because the pain is immeasurable, inestimable, and constant. This is not a pain of the flesh or the heart; it\u2019s a pain that strikes directly at our souls and makes us ill<\/a>. The State doesn\u2019t pay for healthcare. It doesn\u2019t take responsibility for funerals<\/a>. For housing. For food. When it kills one of us, it kills an entire family. It leaves us all with permanent psychological damage, and it doesn\u2019t care about these families. So fight. Fight tirelessly. Keep moving forward. Don\u2019t stop.\u201d \u2014 Cl\u00e1udia Alexandre<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Claudia<\/a>
Claudia Alexandre holds a yellow banner and a sunflower while she marches for justice. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lessa and Queiroz were heard via videoconference for over three hours, from the Trememb\u00e9 Penitentiary in S\u00e3o Paulo and the Inclusion and Rehabilitation Center in Bras\u00edlia, respectively. Nine witnesses were summoned\u2014seven by the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office and two by the defendants’ defense. Testimonies were given by Fernanda Chaves, Marielle’s former advisor and a survivor of the attack; Marinete Silva, Marielle\u2019s mother; M\u00f4nica Ben\u00edcio<\/a>, Marielle\u2019s widow; and \u00c1gatha Arnaus<\/a>, Anderson\u2019s widow. Civil Police officer Carlos Alberto Pa\u00fara J\u00fanior and Civil Police agent Luismar Corteletti testified for the prosecution. Criminal expert Carolina Rodrigues Linhares did not attend, but a video of her testimony was shown instead. Ronnie Lessa\u2019s defense called Federal Police Chief Guilhermo Catramby as their first witness, while Federal Police Officer Marcelo Pasqualetti was the last to testify.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The emotion shared among those present was evident throughout the event. Tears mingled with chants of protest. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The people’s jury, composed of 21 members, including seven men selected on the day of the trial, found the defendants guilty. The sentence regarding the murders of Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes<\/a> emphasized that the accused, Ronnie Lessa, silenced the victim with gunshots to the head, demonstrating a complete lack of dignity and evidencing a death that was premeditated, commissioned, and desired. The defendant did not merely kill but meticulously planned every stage of the crime with cold calculation and precision. He carefully selected the weapon, ammunition, and sought a silencer to avoid cell phone tracking. He meticulously monitored the victim’s routine, chose the vehicle to be used, determined the location and time of the crime, and orchestrated the entire operation, including recruiting third parties to dismantle the car and dispose of the weapons. Every detail of the crime was premeditated and calculated to ensure an execution that left no traces.<\/p>\n

\"Protesters<\/a>
Protesters gathered at Buraco do Lume to continue the rally in memory of Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes on the day of the jury trial. Photo: Alexandre Cerqueira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even though they were sentenced to the maximum penalty, the plea bargain agreement significantly reduces their prison time: \u00c9lcio Queiroz\u2019s sentence is limited to 12 years and Ronnie Lessa\u2019s to 18 years in a closed regime, factoring in the 5 years and 7 months already served. Thus, the actual prison time they will serve does not seem to reflect the severity of their crimes. In total, the sentence imposed on Marielle Franco\u2019s convicted murderers was:<\/p>\n