Brazil keeps Chilean man imprisoned following racist offences aboard aircraft
Brazil's Superior Court of Justice denied release to a Chilean engineer detained for racist insults against crew members and an attempt to open an aeroplane door during a flight between São Paulo and Frankfurt.
Brazil keeps Chilean man imprisoned following racist offences aboard aircraft
Brazilian courts have decided to keep imprisoned a Chilean citizen detained approximately four weeks ago for aggressive behaviour aboard an aircraft. Engineer Germán Naranjo, 51, was arrested following an incident on a LATAM flight that departed São Paulo bound for Frankfurt.
According to Brazilian authorities, in the early hours of 11 May, the accused attempted to force open the aeroplane door while it was in the air. When flight attendants restrained him, he allegedly made racial and homophobic remarks against workers, as well as mimicking primate gestures. Images of the episode circulated widely on social media.
The prosecution also states that the man verbally assaulted airport cleaning staff, threatened to kill the police officers who approached him, and resisted detention. If convicted of the charges brought against him, he could be sentenced to up to 16 years in prison.
The defendant's lawyers contested the version of events presented by the Public Ministry, arguing that the charges were disproportionate. They also argued that their client's behaviour resulted from a psychotic crisis, requesting that he be tried under house arrest or admitted to a psychiatric clinic.
The request for revocation of preventive detention was reviewed by the Superior Court of Justice, which decided not to grant habeas corpus. The decision does not analyse the defendant's criminal responsibility or mental health, but emphasises that the court cannot alter the precautionary measure whilst the first-instance judge has not reviewed the substance of the charges.
Information from El Dínamo
Source: Google News CL — Crime