Court Orders Retrial in 1996 Massacre

A Brazilian court annulled the controversial acquittal of three police officers on charges of killing 19 peasants in a 1996 massacre and ordered the trio to stand trial again. The criminal court of Para state, in a 2-1 ruling, struck down the August 1999 verdict, which had sparked outrage among human rights groups. At the time, even President Fernando Henrique Cardoso said the acquittal baffled those hoping for justice. The court ruled that the acquittal of the officers, which had been based on lack of evidence, failed to give proper consideration to video footage of the incident and eyewitness accounts. The court also questioned the role of one juror.