Raquel Mariano
Agência Brasil

Brasília – Amair Feijoli da Cunha, aka Tato, the third person accused of participating in the February 12, 2005, murder of American missionary, Dorothy Stang, goes on trial before a jury today in Belem, Pará. If he is found guilty, Tato could go to jail for 12 to 30 years.

Tato is accused of paying two gunmen R$50,000 (US$25,000) to kill Stang, who worked in favor of land rights for the poor and sustainable development in the Amazon. The gunmen, Rayfran das Neves and Clodoaldo Batista, have already been tried and found guilty. They were sentenced to 27 years and 18 years, respectively.

Stang family members and social activitsts are attending the trial. "We hope to see justice done," says Luciana Pivato, a lawyer with an NGO, Terra dos Direitos (Land of Rights).

Two more suspects, Regivaldo Galvão and Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura, aka Bida, remain to be tried. There are accused of masterminding the murder.

Translation: Allen Bennett