The Federal Court in Sergipe sentenced three former federal highway police officers for the death of retiree Genivaldo Santos de Jesus on May 25, 2022. Genivaldo died of asphyxiation in an approach by the Federal Highway Police (PRF) on the banks of BR-101, in Umbaúba, Sergipe, after being arrested in a corporation vehicle where a tear gas grenade was thrown.
The jury sentenced former highway police officer Paulo Rodolpho Nascimento for triple homicide – by asphyxiation, for futile reasons and with no chance of defense for the victim – to 28 years in prison. He was the police officer who threw the grenade into the vehicle.
Former police officers William Barros Noia and Kleber Nascimento Freitas received a lesser sentence: 23 years, one month and nine days in prison. In the case of the two defendants, the jury understood that they did not act with the intention of killing Genivaldo, and the sentence was established by judge Rafael Soares Souza, of the 7th Federal Court in Sergipe.
The trial, held in the municipality of Estância (SE), concluded in the early hours of this Saturday (7), at 5:20 am, after 12 days of session.
Genivaldo was approached by police officers for driving a motorcycle without wearing a helmet. Without showing resistance, Genivaldo got off the motorcycle and was knocked down on the dirt floor next to the highway, handcuffed and hit with a gun. spray of pepper.
Immobilized, the motorcyclist was placed in the rear of the vehicle. With the victim surrendered and trapped inside the vehicle, then police officer Paulo Rodolpho threw the tear gas grenade into the vehicle and forced the door against the victim’s legs. Federal Police experts estimated that the victim was suffocated inside the vehicle by tear gas for 11 minutes and 27 seconds.
Genivaldo Santos de Jesus was 38 years old and retired because he suffered from schizophrenia. He had been diagnosed and medicated for 20 years. He was married, had a son aged 7 and a stepson aged 18. His illness had already been proven in a 2016 court case, also resulting from an approach by the Military Police of Sergipe.
Body cameras
In August 2023, the then Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, fired the three highway police officers and ordered the review of the PRF procedure manuals. In May this year, the corporation announced tests with body and vehicle cameras, to be used on police officers’ uniforms and in vehicles, during operational activities across the country.
The Public Security PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) announced in October by the federal government provides for the transformation of the PRF into an Ostensive Federal Police, intended for patrolling federal highways, railways and waterways.
Once authorized, the new police will also be able to protect federal goods, services and facilities and provide emergency and temporary assistance to state or district security forces, when requested by governors.
The proposal is in the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic and has not yet been sent to the National Congress. The government awaits a final statement from the governors to forward the proposal to Parliament.
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