The Jury Trial of Federal Highway Police agents Genivaldo de Jesus Santos begins this Tuesday (26). The case, which occurred in 2022 in the state of Sergipe, shocked the country when it was discovered that the victim was suffocated in the police vehicle, in a type of “gas chamber”.
At the time, the criminal expertise of the state of Sergipe confirmed that Genivaldo’s death, which occurred during an approach by Federal Highway Police (PRF) agents in the city of Umbaúba, was caused by mechanical asphyxiation with airway inflammation.
The report from the Legal Medical Institute (IML) indicated that Genivaldo was not in a psychotic episode at the time of the approach, as accused by the agents, as he was under the influence of the drug quetiapine, used to treat schizophrenia.
The PRF then opened a disciplinary process to investigate the conduct of the police officers involved. After a year and a half, the PRF decided to dismiss the police officers and sent the 13,000-page process to the Ministry of Justice, responsible for giving the last word on the case.
Images that circulated showed Genivaldo immobilized and placed in the trunk of a vehicle, where he was exposed to pepper spray and tear gas for more than 11 minutes, resulting in his death.
Genivaldo’s family members were compensated by the Union. Judge Pedro Esperanza Sudário, from the 7th Federal Court of Sergipe, argued that the State is responsible for crimes and damages caused by public agents in the exercise of their functions, regardless of intention or guilt.
Police officers Paulo Rodolpho Lima Nascimento, William de Barros Noia and Kleber Nascimento Freitas were charged with torture and triple homicide.
