Habeas corpus petition of military officer accused of coup falls to André Mendonça at the Supreme Court.
Defense attorneys for lieutenant colonel request suspension of criminal proceedings; the group includes high-ranking military officers and a police officer accused of orchestrating an institutional rupture.
247 - Justice André Mendonça of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) was chosen by lot to be the rapporteur for the habeas corpus petition filed by the defense of Lieutenant Colonel Hélio Ferreira Lima, accused of attempted coup d'état. The lawyers are requesting the suspension of the criminal proceedings, alleging "irremediable procedural irregularities, excessive pre-trial detention, and the absence of legal requirements for pre-trial detention." as reported by CartaCapital.
Lima is part of the so-called third core of the coup plot, composed of nine high-ranking military officers and a Federal Police agent. Although Mendonça is analyzing the request, a possible favorable decision will not affect the other cores of the case; among them the crucial core, which begins to be judged this Tuesday (2).
Military personnel among the defendants.
The trial for Group 3 is in the final arguments phase. Among the accused are generals, colonels, and lieutenant colonels, as well as a federal police officer, accused of orchestrating actions against the electoral system and even plans to assassinate authorities who resisted the coup.
The list includes:
- Bernardo Romão Correa Netto, colonel;
- Estevam Cals Theophilo Gaspar De Oliveira, retired general;
- Fabrício Moreira de Basto, colonel;
- Hélio Ferreira Lima, lieutenant colonel;
- Colonel Márcio Nunes de Resende Júnior;
- Rafael Martins de Oliveira, lieutenant colonel;
- Rodrigo Bezerra de Azevedo, lieutenant colonel;
- Ronald Ferreira de Araújo Júnior, lieutenant colonel;
- Sérgio Ricardo Cavaliere de Medeiros, lieutenant colonel;
- Wladimir Matos Soares, Federal Police agent.
The defendants are charged with violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup d'état, armed criminal organization, aggravated damage through violence and serious threats against federal property, as well as the deterioration of a listed property. The trial will be held by the First Panel of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), composed of Alexandre de Moraes (rapporteur of the main action), Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Cármen Lúcia, and Luiz Fux.
