Three former members of Brazil’s Federal Highway Police have been sentenced to prison for the torture and death of Genivaldo de Jesus Santos, a Black man who died in police custody. The officers, Paulo Rodolpho Nascimento, William Noia, and Kleber Freitas, were given lengthy prison terms by Justice Rafael Soares in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Rodolpho received 28 years for aggravated homicide, while Noia and Freitas each received 23 years for torture resulting in death.
The case began in May 2022 when Santos was pulled over by the officers for riding his motorcycle without a helmet. A video of the encounter showed Santos being restrained and placed in the boot of the officers’ vehicle where tear gas was deployed, ultimately leading to his death by asphyxiation. The officers claimed that Santos was resisting arrest, but he was later found to have been suffering from schizophrenia and was in need of medication.
The sentencing comes amidst a larger issue of police violence in Brazil, with a United Nations report citing over 6,000 individuals killed by law enforcement annually in recent years. Black people are disproportionately affected, representing nearly 83 percent of those killed by police. Santos’s sister, Laura de Jesus Santos, expressed some satisfaction with the outcome of the trial but emphasized that it did not bring happiness. The case has sparked protests and calls for justice in Brazil, highlighting the need for accountability and reform within the country’s law enforcement agencies.
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