Brazilian authorities have announced this past December 30 that Cláudio Orlando "O Ratinho" (The Little Rat) do Nascimento, like Claudino "Xuxa" dos Santos Coelho before him has been granted a partial release for "good behavior."

The two men, known members of a Rio de Janeiro gang, were sentenced in 2005 to 23 years and six months in prison for the June 2002 murder of TV Globo reporter Tim Lopes.

Lopes was investigating corruption of minors by drug traffickers in the Rio de Janeiro favela of Vila del Cruzeiro when he was kidnapped and tortured to death. Seven gang members were given sentences ranging from 23 to 28 years in prison for his murder.

International press freedom organization Reporter Without Borders said that they were shocked with the news: "We accept that, after completing a sixth of their sentence, convicts can request partial release, but we think it is utterly inappropriate to grant in this case because of the cruelty of the crime for which "O Ratinho" and "Xuxa" were convicted."

Last November, judicial authorities from Rio decided to put convicted murderer Xuxa on a "semi-release" program for "good behavior."

Xuxa, an alleged drug trafficker, was sentenced in 2005 to 23 years and six months in prison for the June 2002 murder of TV Globo reporter Tim Lopes. As he was arrested in August 2002, he has already completed one third of his sentence.

Under the program, he would be allowed out of prison by day as long as he returns at night. But according to Rio's daily newspaper "Extra", he has already violated this requirement.

"We expressed our satisfaction in 2005 when seven suspects were convicted of Lopes' murder, but now we share his family's incomprehension at this concession, which seems completely unjustified given the cruelty of the crime of which this prisoner was convicted," Reporters Without Borders said.

Lopes was investigating sexual exploitation of minors by drug traffickers in the Rio de Janeiro favela of Vila del Cruzeiro in June 2002 when he was kidnapped, tortured and finally hacked to death by members the "Crazy Elias" gang, who burned his body.

Comments (5)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Brazil....
written by bo, January 05, 2009

only has itself to blame.

Laws are not enforced. It's unconstitutional to extradite a brazilian citizen for a crime he/she committed in another country. Prostitution is legal in a country where millions upon millions make less than 2 dollars a day. International treaties are not enforced. Impunity is the "soup de jour". When one does get convicted of a crime he then can serve 1/6 of it and request and be granted freedom.

Is there any wonder why this is one of the most dangerous countries on the planet?

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

but...but...but....
written by ch.c., January 05, 2009

Who is surprised coming from South America Largest Banana Republic ?????

Something similar happened around 2 years ago.
A municipal official killed someone and admitted the killing.
1) He was not fired, because the municipal auhorities said He commited nothing wrong against the municipality
2) After a few weeks in prison, he was freed because he had no previous police record !!!!!


Not much difference from the above article case !

And of course, this was with the unofficial blessings of Robbing Hook and his gang !

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +1

...
written by jon, January 05, 2009

What kind of example is this?

How is Lula addressing the homicide rate?? He wants to help Gaza right now when his attention should be on the streets of Recife and Rio, etc. The worlds homicide rate is an average of 8 per 100,000....Brazil's is 30 per 100,000!!

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

lula has no business in gaza
written by Forrest Allen Brown, January 05, 2009

as he cant even control the crime in one city much less the whole country .
he is just trying to butter up the arabs to try to sell them brasilian trash .

if he was setting at home and people were launching rockets into brasil
under a seace fire what would he do ??
same as he does now with the murder rate ignor it
and hope the people will blame the US for
as some one will

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

He wants to help Gaza right now when his attention should be on the streets of Recife and Rio
written by ch.c., January 05, 2009

Because he doesnt care about Brazilian at all !
And remember, with a controlled media the more problems Robbing Hook can focus on the International scene, the less brazilians will focus on local problems.
Divertion of attention.
simple

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +1

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment

---