Isabella Nardoni Case - Trial

Trial

Alexandre Nardoni and Anna Carolina Jatobá's trial began on March 22, 2010, almost two years (to the day) after Isabella's death. On the first day of trial, Ana Carolina Oliveira testified. She said Jatobá was extremely jealous of her, and that Alexandre had once threatened to kill her and her mother and then vanish with Isabella when Ana Carolina confronted him over late alimony payments. She also said Anna Jatobá was the one to call her on the night of Isabella's death, and screamed to her that it was all her daughter's fault.

Ana Carolina was later requested by the defense attorney to remain in the court house so she could go under an acareation with Nardoni and Jatobá. She remained in a tiny bedroom at the court house for three more days—until a psychiatrist said she was under extreme stress and she was released.

On March 25, 2010, Alexandre and Anna Carolina testified in front of the jury. Both denied having murdered Isabella. Anna cried during her testimony. Alexandre took the stand at 10:45 a.m, and was dismissed at 16:25. Alexandre told the jury that the cops responsible for dealing with Isabella's case proposed that he admit he had killed the child, saying he could rule the case as an accidental homicide with no intent to kill. Alexandre also claimed he felt humiliated by this and that the police weren't actually interested in figuring out what had happened in the building the day Isabella died. Nardoni cried three times during his testimony and said that the day Isabella died was the worst of his life, that he had lost the most precious thing in his life and that he was unaware of what was going on. He also accused Ana Carolina's mother of not wanting her to have the child.

He also said he didn't remember having mentioned in his testimony to the cops that there was a third person in his apartment the day Isabella was murdered. The defense attorney had mentioned that someone else had broken into the apartment and thrown the girl out of the window, but Nardoni denied that he had seen someone with a gun, wearing black clothes, and that he had locked Isabella in the apartment.

Nardoni shocked audience and jury when, after being questioned by DA Francisco Cembranelli on why he didn't think of helping Isabella, he first said that he was making sure she was alive. Cembranelli said she was, and insisted; Nardoni then said he was in shock. After Cembranelli asked for a third time why he didn't think of trying to do anything to help the girl, Nardoni finally answered that when he became aware of what was going on, a neighbor ordered him not to touch Isabella.

Another shocking moment occurred when Cembranelli asked why Nardoni hadn't spoken to Oliveira during Isabella's funeral and wake. Nardoni simply answered it was an embarrassing situation.

After a lunch break, it was Jatobá's turn, and she spoke until a quarter to nine p.m. During her testimony, Jatobá said that the accusations against her and Nardoni were completely false. She also gave more details about the family's relationship with Isabella. She also said that the girl was very attached to her. Jatobá also admitted that when she was being questioned by the police, she had "embellished" and "made up" stories such as being beat up by her father.

However, in their testimony, Jatobá and Nardoni constantly contradicted each other. While Nardoni claimed they had normal fights, she admitted they fought constantly and very nastily.

After a five-day-long trial, in the early hours of March, 27th, 2010, Alexandre Nardoni was sentenced to 31 years, 1 month and 10 days of imprisonment; Anna Carolina Jatobá, to 26 years and 8 months for Isabella's death. It counted against both the fact that Isabella was less than 14 when she was murdered; against Nardoni weighted the fact that he is Isabella's father. Nardoni and Jatobá also were convicted of procedural fraud to 8 months of imprisonment (for trying to clean up the crime scene). According to the Brazilian law, both sentences are to be served concurrently. During the sentence reading, Nardoni was expressionless, while Jatobá cried. Outside the forum, people celebrated their sentence with fireworks.

The couple's defense attorneys said they are going to appeal against the decision, but, according to the Brazilian media, the judge who sentenced the couple to prison is unlikely to allow any such thing as parole. On March 30, 2010, the defense attorney filed a petition for a new jury, since Brazilian law says that, when the penalty is over 20 years, the convicted person is allowed to go through a new jury.