Suzane Von Richthofen - Brazilian Public Attention

Brazilian Public Attention

The case generated significant media attention in Brazil due to the stark contrast between the brutal crime and the personality of the daughter. While the Cravinhos brothers fitted in the scheme of the uneducated, unemployed, drug-addicted killers, this was not true for Suzane: She was a pretty, blond girl from an upper-middle-class family of German and Lebanese descent, well-behaved, always doing well at school, speaking three foreign languages and doing ballet. The contrast between her affluent upbringing and the cruelty of the crime shocked the country. Also, as discussion emerged in the Brazilian public about the worth of family values and the effects of education, the question as to whether Suzane was the evil mind behind the crime or just Daniel's tool was also heavily discussed. Many people who initially were emotionally on Suzane's side, changed their opinion when a TV interview with her was shown. Before the interview, when the cameras were already on, she was instructed for the interview by her lawyer. He told her to cry out loud during the broadcast, to create public sympathy. In the outcome, however, the interview was a major blast for her credibility. In court, Suzane still was very cool, while the Cravinhos brothers were crying most of the time. At one occasion, she even started to laugh.