Cuiabá jury trial for Carlinhos Bezerra postponed after defense abandonment and prosecutors' criticism

The trial of Carlos Alberto Gomes Bezerra – known as “Carlinhos Bezerra” – for the femicide of Thays Machado and the homicide of Willian César Moreno was delayed. The defense team abandoned the July 21 jury session, prompting the judge to reschedule the trial for July 31. Prosecutors from the Ministério Público of Mato Grosso denounced the abandonment as a “strategy to postpone the trial,” labeling it an “aberration” that disrespects the victims’ families. The Public Prosecutor Vinicius Gahyva Martins and Élide Manzini de Campos called the move a deliberate delay tactic. The abandonment also raised the prospect of disciplinary action by the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB‑MT), which may impose fines or suspension on the lawyers for violating procedural rules. Earlier, a habeas‑corpus request to suspend the trial was denied, and the tribunal confirmed the proceeding would continue despite the defense’s procedural objections.