Minas Gerais court upholds conviction for man who blinded neighbor

The 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais (TJMG) has upheld the conviction of a man sentenced to four years and eight months in a semi-open prison regime for causing irreversible blindness to a neighbor.

The incident occurred in January 2019 at a grocery store in the Copacabana neighborhood, located in the Venda Nova region of Belo Horizonte. The attack, involving a glass bottle, was motivated by a long-standing dispute between the two men. According to the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG), the tension began a year prior when the victim intervened to prevent an accident involving knives handled by the defendant.

During the assault, the glass bottle struck the victim in the face, breaking his glasses and causing a lens to puncture his left eye. This resulted in the loss of the eyeball and permanent blindness, necessitating the use of a prosthesis and ongoing medical expenses. The court rejected the defendant's claim of self-defense, noting the severe aesthetic and financial consequences suffered by the victim.