Deolane Bezerra Remains Detained as Defense Seeks Federal Transfer

A judge's pending decision on which court has competence will determine whether her preventive detention and state-case acts can be annulled.

Overview

Deolane Bezerra has been held in preventive detention since May 21 at the Penitenciária Feminina de Tupi Paulista on charges of association to organized crime and money laundering allegedly in favor of the PCC.
On July 15 her lawyers filed an exceção de incompetência asking that the case be moved to federal court and that prior state acts be annulled, including the preventive detention, searches and the indictment.
The São Paulo public prosecutor's office (MPSP/Gaeco) formally opposed the defense plea and asked the court to keep the case in state court while arguing Deolane is accused of taking part in a separate money‑laundering group rather than formally joining the PCC.
A handwritten letter from Deolane shared by her mother on Instagram on August 1 appeals to religious faith, calls for calm and repeats her claim that her innocence will be proven, increasing public attention to the case.
No judge has yet ruled on the competence challenge or the requested annulments, and the court decision could either lift her detention and void state actions if transferred or leave the investigation and charges under São Paulo state jurisdiction.