Charges Yet to Be Pressed as the Kiss Nightclub 4 Year Anniversary Nears

01/30/2017 - 16h16

Friday (27) will mark the 4 year anniversary of the tragedy at Kiss nightclub, a fire that killed 242 people in Santa Maria (RS) and still no charges have been pressed.

On Sunday, January 27th, 2013, in the early morning, a member of the band Gurizada Fandangueira lit a pyrotechnic device and set the busy nightclub on fire.

Four people are still being interrogated for the homicide: two of the club owners, Elissandro Spohr and Mauro Hoffmann, musician Marcelo dos Santos and the band's producer, Luciano Leão.

In July 2016, the Court ruled that the four targets would be tried for multiple murders (242 achieved and 636 attempted). The defense filed an appeal.

	Fernanda Ramos/Agencia RBS/Folhapress
	Family and friends pay tribute to fire victims

Attorneys from Leão and Santos say that their clients should not be tried by a popular jury because they had no intention to kill.

Spohr's defense argues that he made an appeal because he understands that the Santa Maria prefecture, the Public Prosecutor and the Fire Department cannot be excluded from criminal punishment. Hoffman's defense says it will not speak until a judgement is made on the appeal.

Three firefighters received sentences from the Military Police for non-compliance with the issuance of licences, and another firefighter received a sentence for procedural fraud.

On January 18th, the Court decided that the Santa Maria Prefecture, the State and the owners of the nightclub must indemnify a survivor in the amount of approximately US $ 6,000.

On January 23rd, the municipality was also demanded to indemnify the family of a victim in the amount of approximately US $ 63,000.

Translated by SUGHEY RAMIREZ

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