Two Brazilians convicted, sentenced for killing of U.S. nun

Published: 2005-12-12

SAO PAULO, Brazil (CNS) -- Two men accused of the February killing of a U.S. nun were convicted and sentenced by a Brazilian court. Rayfran das Neves Sales and Clodoaldo Carlos Batista received prison terms of 27 years and 17 years, respectively, Dec. 10 for killing Sister Dorothy Stang, a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and an outspoken advocate for Brazilian peasants. The convicted killers, however, did not receive the maximum sentence allowed by law. The public defender's office said it would appeal the decision. Sister Dorothy's brother, David Stang, and her sister, Marguerithe Stang Holm, were in Belem, Brazil, for the trial. These were the first convictions for Sister Dorothy's assassination. Three other suspects, accused of being the ones who gave the orders to kill the nun, remain in jail awaiting trial.

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