A Brazilian judge known for her work against organized crime, was shot dead in Rio de Janeiro. 16 bullets were discharged on Patricia Aciolin, leaving the 47-year old dead instantly. Masked agresors fled quickly with two motorcycles. The investigators say that he name of the judge, mother of three children, was found on a death list in the possession of a prisoner last year.
Her cousin, Humberto Nascimento Acioli confesses that she was threatened several times during recent years.
"There were at lest 5 years that she received death threats. She was considered a hard-line judge, with a heavy hammer, to always give criminals the maximum sentences." said Nascimento
The 47-years old was known especially for the fact that she didn't spared any penalties to gangsters and corrupted officers. Despite threats, Acioli never had had police escort. Eyewitness told the AFP that he gunman had imposed Aciolin at the time that she was approaching her home at Niteroi.
Brazilian High Court considered the murder an attack against democracy and the rule of law in the country, and requested an immediate investigation of the facts and the exemplary punishment to those people responsible to what they called "a cowardly crime".