Minas Gerais judge Bruno Salvino ruled Friday that Adélio Bispo de Oliveira, who stabbed president Jair Bolsonaro in September, has a mental disorder and is unimputable—he is unable to understand the crime that he committed and explain his actions.
With this ruling, Adélio will still be tried for the stabbing, but he will receive a sentence to a mental institution. Adélio has been imprisoned since September when he stabbed then-candidate Bolsonaro during a campaign event in Juiz de Fora.
He underwent formal psychiatric evaluations that were recommended by his defense and the prosecutors. Adélio remains imprisoned in a federal prison in Campo Grande (MS), his family lives in the region of Montes Claros (MG), about 1,400 Km away.
The decision ends the so-called mental insanity incident, set up at the request of the defense to define Adelio's mental capacity to be responsible for his actions.
The criminal case against him, which had been suspended until a decision was reached, is now underway again.
The next step will be presenting the evidence, with witnesses hearings in the case. Then, the final defense and prosecution allegations will be presented and the sentence will be announced. Since Adelius has already been judged as unimputable, even condemned, he will receive what is called an improper acquittal. The judge will then apply the security measure with compulsory hospitalization.
The sentence could be the maximum penalty for the crime—20 years, in this case. The judge has already signaled that he will follow this sentencing. This does not mean that Adelio would stay hospitalized. He may go through periodic evaluations to determine if he poses a danger to society.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon