Trial Begins for São Paulo Police Lieutenant in Killing of Jiu-Jitsu Champion Leandro Lo

Overview

• The jury convened Wednesday at the Barra Funda criminal court before Judge Fernanda Jacomini, with seven jurors expected to reach a verdict by Friday after two prior postponements this year.
• Prosecutors charge Henrique Velozo with intentional homicide under three qualifiers—base motive, endangering bystanders, and use of means that hindered defense.
• An eyewitness, fighter Bruno Nobete Miranda, testified that Velozo returned to the table, drew his weapon, and shot Lo at close range in the forehead, then kicked him as he lay on the ground.
• The defense argues self-defense, claiming Lo had taken Velozo down with a "baiana" and a choke, leaving the officer fearing a renewed attack and the loss of his firearm.
• With no security footage of the shooting, nine witnesses are being heard and the parties plan to show jurors a family-backed AI video and a defense animation depicting their competing versions of events.