Brazil's Supreme Court Opens Trial of Alleged Planners of Marielle Franco’s Murder

Overview

• The First Panel of the Supreme Federal Court began hearings on Feb. 24 to judge five defendants accused of ordering and organizing the 2018 killings of councilwoman Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes.
• Defendants Domingos and Francisco ‘Chiquinho’ Brazão, Rivaldo Barbosa, Major Ronald and Robson Calixto face charges that include qualified homicide, attempted homicide of Fernanda Chaves and, for some, criminal organization.
• The panel is led by rapporteur Alexandre de Moraes and composed of Flávio Dino (president), Cármen Lúcia and Cristiano Zanin, with sessions scheduled for Tuesday morning and afternoon and Wednesday morning.
• Prosecutors center their case on validated collaborations by Ronnie Lessa and Élcio de Queiroz and point to a land-grabbing motive in Jacarepaguá, citing technical traces such as cell-site records and legislative clashes.
• The defenses contest the credibility and corroboration of the collaborators, highlight the absence of the weapon and getaway car, note that all defendants remain in custody since 2024 except Chiquinho under home detention, and the court will decide by majority vote under the same trial procedure used in the Bolsonaro case.