Domingos Brazão Ordered the Killing of Marielle, Ronnie Lessa Alleges, According to The Intercept

247 - Former military police officer Ronnie Lessa, accused of the murders of councilwoman Marielle Franco (Psol) and driver Anderson Gomes, revealed in his plea deal with the Federal Police (PF) that the councilor of the Court of Accounts of Rio de Janeiro, Domingos Brazão, was one of the masterminds behind the 2018 crime, according to a report by Intercept Brasil.

Lessa, who has been imprisoned since March 2019, made the plea deal that now awaits ratification by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), as Brazão has privileged jurisdiction. Lawyer Márcio Palma, representing Domingos Brazão, stated he was unaware of the information and emphasized that his client has always denied any involvement in the crime.

Domingos Brazão, a former member of the MDB and councilor of the TCE of Rio, had already been formally accused by the Attorney General's Office in 2019 of obstructing the investigation. The main motive pointed out for his alleged involvement in the assassination would be revenge against Marcelo Freixo, former state deputy for Psol and current president of Embratur.