Brazil Shrugs at Death of Informant

Brazil Shrugs at Death of Informant

Killing of Man Who Testified About Police Death Squads in Brazil Barely Registers Among Citizens

The Associated Press

SAO PAULO, Brazil Oct. 10 — The slaying of a man who testified about police death squads to a U.N. human rights official was condemned by international rights groups Friday, but barely registered in a country where police abuses are routine.

Almost every day, police operations in crowded shantytowns across Brazil claim lives and create an image of urban warfare between the police and the poor, although many Brazilians believe victims of police killings must have done something wrong.

Groups ranging from the United Nations to Amnesty International deplored Thursday's killing of Gerson de Jesus Bispo in northeastern Brazil. He was the second person killed after speaking to Asma Jahangir, the United Nations' special investigator on extrajudicial executions.

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Acides Ney Inez, who runs a streetside news stand, said Brazilian police often are blamed for being too violent, but he believes only criminals complain about police brutality.

"I didn't read about this execution case, but no one's killed by chance," said Inez, 35. "There's always a good reason."

Bispo was investigating last year's killing of his brother and a friend. He met with Jahangir on Sept. 20, and was killed Thursday by motorcycle gunmen in Santo Antonio de Jesus in Bahia state, 1,200 miles northeast of Sao Paulo.

more: http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20031010_1338.html

Frightening attitude - police are always right, if the police killed them (with no trial) they must have done something wrong...

*shudder*