Minister Cármen Lúcia, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), defended the conviction of the defendants accused of involvement in the murder of councilor Marielle Franco (PSOL-RJ), in 2018. In her vote, Cármen asked: “How many Marielles will still be murdered?”.
The trial took place in the First Panel of the Court, with the defendants unanimously.
“This process has done me a lot of harm. Very bad spiritually, very bad psychologically. Due to the impotence of the law in the face of a torn life”, declared the minister, who followed the understanding of the rapporteur, minister Alexandre de Moraes.
Cármen highlighted the weight that the fact that Marielle was a woman had on the decision of those in charge and, during the trial, spoke directly to the former councilor’s mother, Marinete Silva.
“Killing one of us is much easier. And, Dona Marinete, don’t think it’s just your daughter. It’s easier to kill me than to kill one of the other three here”, stated the magistrate, in reference to the other three ministers who make up the First Panel (Moraes, Flávio Dino and Cristiano Zanin).
The minister added: “They thought nothing would happen, it’s a woman. That no one would care.”
Moraes made the same criticism during his vote, citing the testimony of Ronnie Lessa, responsible for shooting Marielle. According to him, the principals were not worried about the repercussions of the crime.
“Marielle was a poor black woman who was supporting the interests of militiamen […] In the misogynistic and prejudiced minds of those in charge and executors, who would care about that? A 100-year-old head, 50 years ago: ‘Ah, we’ll eliminate it and it won’t have any repercussions’”, the rapporteur in his vote.
