The cruel death of community dog Orelha by teenagers in Santa Catarina sparked unified outrage on social media, pressuring authorities for justice. However, the online fervor led to virtual vigilantism that wrongly accused an innocent teenager, highlighting the dangers of internet trials. Police now treat him as a witness as the investigation continues.
The torture and death of community dog Orelha, carried out by a group of teenagers on Praia Brava in Santa Catarina, united people from diverse backgrounds in shared moral outrage. Journalist Glenn Greenwald, in a Folha de S.Paulo column, noted how this initial fury was positive in pressuring authorities but soon turned into a dangerous 'internet court.' Anonymous accounts spread names, photos, and addresses of four teenagers, forcing them into hiding amid fears of physical violence and ruining their reputations.
Santa Catarina police did not officially release names, as the investigation is ongoing and some suspects are minors. However, one youth accused online does not appear in the analyzed footage, and his parents provided proof he was not present. A court ordered the removal of the illegal posts, but the damage was already done. Greenwald emphasized: 'It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer,' quoting jurist William Blackstone.
Lawyer Rodrigo Duarte da Silva, representing two families, told Globo's Fantástico: 'We hope the truth comes to light' and that innocents be publicly exonerated, while the guilty face proportionate responsibility. Civil Police conducted home searches, analyzed about 1,000 hours of security camera video, and gathered witness statements. Delegada Mardjoli Valcareggi of the Animal Protection Police Station oversees the case with the Criminal Investigation Department and the Public Ministry.
Beyond animal cruelty, which can lead to socio-educational measures for minors under the Child and Adolescent Statute, investigators are probing other acts like thefts and vandalism. Adults suspected of witness coercion face up to four years in prison.
