This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22063649
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brazil police face trial over Carandiru jail 'massacre' | Brazil police face trial over Carandiru jail 'massacre' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The trial has begun in Brazil of 26 police officers accused of involvement in Brazil's most deadly prison riot two decades ago. | |
| More than 100 inmates died at the Carandiru jail in the city of Sao Paulo in 1992 during a police operation to end a fight between rival gangs. | |
| Prosecutors say most of the 111 victims were shot dead inside their cells, many at point-blank range. | Prosecutors say most of the 111 victims were shot dead inside their cells, many at point-blank range. |
| No policemen died in the operation, which lasted only 30 minutes. | No policemen died in the operation, which lasted only 30 minutes. |
| The 26 military police officers are the first to face trial over the killings since the conviction of Col Ubiratan Guimaraes in 2001. | The 26 military police officers are the first to face trial over the killings since the conviction of Col Ubiratan Guimaraes in 2001. |
| Col Guimareas, who led the operation to regain control of Carandiru, was convicted of using excessive force, but was acquitted on appeal in 2006. | Col Guimareas, who led the operation to regain control of Carandiru, was convicted of using excessive force, but was acquitted on appeal in 2006. |
| Dozens more officers are expected to be brought to trial in connection with the case over the months to come. | Dozens more officers are expected to be brought to trial in connection with the case over the months to come. |
| This stage of the trial is expected to last one or two weeks. Seven jurors - five women and two men - have been chosen by ballot out of a list of 50 pre-selected candidates. | |
| 'Excessive force' | 'Excessive force' |
| The officers who went on trial on Monday are accused of the murder of 15 inmates on the second floor of the jail in Sao Paulo. | The officers who went on trial on Monday are accused of the murder of 15 inmates on the second floor of the jail in Sao Paulo. |
| The riot began on 2 October 1992 after an argument between two inmates quickly spread, with rival gangs facing off in what was at the time one of South America's largest prisons, housing 10,000 inmates. | The riot began on 2 October 1992 after an argument between two inmates quickly spread, with rival gangs facing off in what was at the time one of South America's largest prisons, housing 10,000 inmates. |
| Inmates said riot police brutally repressed the riot. | Inmates said riot police brutally repressed the riot. |
| "We never thought they would come in and kill people randomly, as not everyone had joined the rebellion," former prisoner Jacy de Oliveira told BBC Brasil's Luis Kawaguti. | "We never thought they would come in and kill people randomly, as not everyone had joined the rebellion," former prisoner Jacy de Oliveira told BBC Brasil's Luis Kawaguti. |
| "The policemen began shooting everyone; I was on the fifth floor, if you looked a policeman in the eyes, you were dead," he said. | "The policemen began shooting everyone; I was on the fifth floor, if you looked a policeman in the eyes, you were dead," he said. |
| 'Self-defence' | 'Self-defence' |
| The officers' lawyer, Ieda Ribeiro de Souza, says they were only doing their duty and acted in self-defence, as many of the inmates were armed. | The officers' lawyer, Ieda Ribeiro de Souza, says they were only doing their duty and acted in self-defence, as many of the inmates were armed. |
| Ms de Souza also argues that it will be impossible to prove which of the officers fired the lethal shots as no ballistic test were carried out after the incident. | Ms de Souza also argues that it will be impossible to prove which of the officers fired the lethal shots as no ballistic test were carried out after the incident. |
| "I don't think the jury will be able to convict someone for 15 deaths without knowing if the accused ever fired a shot," she said. | "I don't think the jury will be able to convict someone for 15 deaths without knowing if the accused ever fired a shot," she said. |
| If convicted, the officers could face between 12 and 30 years in prison. | If convicted, the officers could face between 12 and 30 years in prison. |
| While prison riots are not uncommon in Brazil, the number of those killed at Carandiru and the slow pace of the Brazilian justice system in bringing the accused to trial has shocked the public. | While prison riots are not uncommon in Brazil, the number of those killed at Carandiru and the slow pace of the Brazilian justice system in bringing the accused to trial has shocked the public. |
| Carandiru was closed in 2002, shortly after inmates co-ordinated simultaneous uprisings in 27 jails across Sao Paulo state during which thousands of visitors were held hostage. | Carandiru was closed in 2002, shortly after inmates co-ordinated simultaneous uprisings in 27 jails across Sao Paulo state during which thousands of visitors were held hostage. |