Court Grants Federal Prosecutor’s Office Access to Police File in Marielle Murder Case

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Yesterday, August 30th, the Superior Federal Court (STJ) authorized the Federal Prosecutor General, Raquel Dodge, to obtain a copy of the police inquiry opened in Rio de Janeiro to uncover alleged irregularities in the investigation of councilor Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes’ murder.

Two weeks ago, Raquel Dodge requested the STJ for a copy of the investigation to examine potential federalization of the case; in other words, jurisdiction to prosecute the crime would be transferred from the state court to the federal court.

The Office of the Prosecutor General has been analyzing an alleged attempt to obstruct the investigations since November of last year, but Rio’s courts have been refusing to share information.

Former police officers Ronnie Lessa (retired) and Élcio Queiroz (expelled from the State Police) are accused of the city councilor’s murder.

Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes were murdered by multiple gunshots in the city councilor’s car in downtown Rio de Janeiro on March 14th, 2018.