The Brazilian Justice issued a verdict against the three former rugby players accused of the death of Ariel Malvino, which occurred in January 2006 in Ferrugem, a resort located 80 kilometers from Florianópolis. Eduardo Braun Billinghurst, Horacio Pozo, and Carlos Andrés Gallino Yanzi were sentenced to seven years in prison each. They must serve their sentences in Corrientes prisons.
The Jury Court of the Garopaba district found them guilty of bodily harm followed by death. The sentence, according to the Santa Catarina Judiciary, totals 21 years of imprisonment in a semi-open regime.
Sentence and delay in the process
The trial determined that Braun Billinghurst was convicted of attempted murder, while Pozo and Gallino Yanzi received sentences for injuries followed by death. During the process, the Sentencing Council modified the original accusation from murder to attempted murder, delegating the final resolution to a single judge.
The case extended over 19 years due to numerous factors. The constant appeals by the defense, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the complexity of coordinating Argentine witnesses and defendants complicated the procedural times. None of the defendants attended the hearings, and six lawyers represented them.
In a statement, Ariel Malvino's parents, Alberto Malvino and Patricia Martin, expressed their gratitude to those who collaborated in the case. They thanked the witnesses, prosecutor Mirela Dutra Alberton, and the Santa Catarina Public Ministry team. Finally, they dedicated a few words to their son: "Dear son, we promised you justice. That day has come. Rest in peace, beloved Ariel."
The crime of "the children of power"
Ariel Malvino, a 21-year-old law student, was vacationing with friends in Ferrugem when he got involved in a fight among Argentinians. In the early hours of January 19, 2006, he witnessed an altercation and commented aloud that the situation made Argentinians look bad.
