Marcola scheduled for jury trial over 2006 police killings in São Paulo

The judiciary in São Paulo has scheduled a jury trial for Marco Willians Herbas Camacho, known as Marcola, the alleged leader of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) criminal faction. The trial is set for May 11, 12, and 13, 2027.

Marcola is accused of ordering the murder of a military police officer and the attempted murder of another in Jundiaí on May 12, 2006. These attacks were part of the “Crimes de Maio” (May Crimes), a period of extreme violence in São Paulo triggered by the PCC in response to the isolation of 765 members in a penitentiary. During that nine-day period, 564 people were killed and 110 were injured.

The legal process has spanned over two decades. Following the initial indictment in 2006, the case was moved to a different jurisdiction in 2019 for security reasons. Marcola's defense has argued that the prolonged delay violates constitutional guarantees regarding the reasonable duration of legal proceedings. Five other defendants, including high-ranking faction members, will also be judged in the same process.