As there are so many stories going around I have decided to compile a list of facts relating to all court appearances. Here for starters is some information you might like to see on the original trial.
The Trial of Leonor and João Cipriano.
- Joana disappeared on the night of 12 September 2004.
- The trial was heard by three judges chaired by Judge Alda Casimiro and included four jurors (three women and one man) chosen from the electoral roll in Portimão.
- Leonor and her brother, João Cipriano, uncle of the eight-year-old girl, were accused of murder, desecration of a corpse and concealment.
- Prosecuting attorney, José Pinheiro, originally asked for a sentence of 24 years for both defendants.
- Investigations conducted by the Judicial Police of Faro coordinated by Gonçalo Amaral did not reach any clear proof against Leonor and João Cipriano - just a theory, a story that the prosecutor José Pinheiro struggled to defend in court.
- The trial heard testimony from 45 witnesses: neighbours, relatives, PJ inspectors involved in the investigation, forensic experts.
- Neighbours and acquaintances of Leonor and brother João were called by the prosecution to assess the personality of the accused.
- But arguidos refused to testify and remained silent throughout the trial.
- The trial heard that marks of blood were found both inside and outside the house by someone of Joana's height. These traces of blood could not be forensically attributed to the girl - because they were contaminated by oil and bleach which the prosecution alleged had been used to clean the house after the crime.
- Trace of blood both animal and human were found in the family freezer. The prosecution claimed that the defendants hid the body there before disposing of it.
- Joana's stepfather, Leandro Silva, confirmed to the court that a saw normally kept at the Cipriano home had disappeared after the crime.
- On the last day of the trial the voice of João Cipriano was heard in court by virtue of a video recording made by the Judicial Police during investigations. In brutal detail he confessed to killing Joana and of disposing of her body. The defence objected claiming that João's words had no value since the defendants chose not to testify at trial. The judge overruled the objection.
- At the conclusion of the evidence the prosecutor appealed to the pair, "If you have any little humanity left, tell us where the body is?"
- Leonor and João Cipriano were convicted at Portimão Court on 11 November 2005 following a 20-hour trial spread over three days.
- Leonor was sentenced to 20 yrs and 4 months while João was sentenced to 19 yrs and 2 months.
