Literally. That is the accusation against Wallace Souza, a former police officer, politician and television host in Brazil. Souza hosts a highly-rated real crime television program based in Manaus, a city deep in the Amazon rainforest. Souza and his son Rafael (who is currently incarcerated on multiple charges, including homicide) are accused of orchestrating murders, and then sending out his TV crews to get exclusive video and thereby boost his ratings on his TV show Canal Livre.
But wait, theres more: Souza is also accused of being a drug trafficker, and that the murder victims were often his competition for drug operations in the area. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.
State police intelligence chief Thomaz Vasconcelos remarked in an interview with The Associated Press, "The order to execute always came from the legislator and his son, who then alerted the TV crews to get to the scene before the police," http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/wallace-souza-brazilian-t_n_257061.html
Canal Livre depicts the rise of crime in and around Manaus, and the state of Amazonas. The city of Manaus has a population of 1.7 million people in a region that is otherwise sparsely populated, but largely lawless. It is a hub city for all sorts of goods as it sits on the confluence of the Negro and Solimoes rivers. It is also a hub for drug traffickers throughout the Northern part of South America.
Below is a clip from the Canal Livre show. It shows a Canal Livre reporter arriving at the scene of a homicide before the police where the victim was burned and the body was still smoking. WARNING: The video is not for the squeamish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jll87TT8yMY
But wait, theres more: Souza is also accused of being a drug trafficker, and that the murder victims were often his competition for drug operations in the area. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.
State police intelligence chief Thomaz Vasconcelos remarked in an interview with The Associated Press, "The order to execute always came from the legislator and his son, who then alerted the TV crews to get to the scene before the police," http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/wallace-souza-brazilian-t_n_257061.html
Canal Livre depicts the rise of crime in and around Manaus, and the state of Amazonas. The city of Manaus has a population of 1.7 million people in a region that is otherwise sparsely populated, but largely lawless. It is a hub city for all sorts of goods as it sits on the confluence of the Negro and Solimoes rivers. It is also a hub for drug traffickers throughout the Northern part of South America.
Below is a clip from the Canal Livre show. It shows a Canal Livre reporter arriving at the scene of a homicide before the police where the victim was burned and the body was still smoking. WARNING: The video is not for the squeamish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jll87TT8yMY
About the Author:
Mr. McDowell is an Attorney in Colorado Springs at McDowell & Laybourne, LLC. His practice includes Colorado Springs criminal defense, DUI/DWAI, traffic, drug offenses and felony matters.
