Entity denounces ‘serious flaws’ in the investigation of the operation in Rio

We recognize the difficulties inherent in a forested area, but the lack of control over the isolation of the place is strange.
Antonio José Campos Moreira, attorney general of the State of Rio de Janeiro, at a press conference

Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police Secretary, head of the state force in charge of investigating crime, said that the residents who removed the bodies from the forest will be investigated for possible tampering with evidence. He also accused them of taking the clothes of the dead.

“However, residents were only able to reach the bodies because police failed to secure the scene of the shooting,” Human Rights Watch said.

According to the statement, the expert consulted by Human Rights Watch found that, after the bodies were removed by the community, Civil Police delegates did not send criminal experts to the area — in Rio de Janeiro, the experts are part of the Civil Police.

Crime scene analysis should be performed even if a body has been removed, as there may be additional evidence at the scene.
Human Rights Watch

Furthermore, forensic experts were not sent to the square where residents had taken dozens of bodies. “This was a further important failure of the investigation,” Human Rights Watch said.

The entity argues that criminal experts should have gone to the square to take photos and collect evidence, including samples of gunpowder residue, which could reveal whether the person fired a weapon. These residues are lost when the body is handled, for example during transport.

The entity points out that forensic experts are carrying out autopsies, but there are concerns about limited personnel and infrastructure, in addition to the lack of investment in State expertise.

Human Rights Watch also highlighted the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender’s Office’s statement that the Civil Police did not allow defenders to be present during autopsies.

“Some civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, asked the Rio de Janeiro attorney general, on October 30, to guarantee the presence of a representative of the victims at the autopsies. This was not done,” he lamented.

Uncontrolled weapons

Another problem, according to the entity, refers to the storage of the 118 weapons seized.