22 67.7. On October 20, 1996, the Civil Police of the State of Rio Grande do Norte decided to commence a police investigation to shed light on the death of Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho. On October 25, 1996, the investigation was transferred to the Federal Police because on October 21, 1996, the Governor of the State of Rio Grande do Norte had asked the Secretary of Justice to place the investigation into the death of Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho in the hands of a police authority external to the government of Rio Grande do Norte. This request was made for several reasons, including the fact that Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho had publicly claimed that a death squad was operating inside the Civil Police Department of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, and that high-level members of the institution may be involved.24 67.8. On October 25, 1996, the Federal Police commenced police investigation No. 296/96SR/DPF/RN “for the purpose of investigating the circumstances and perpetrators of the homicide against attorney […] Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho.” In one of the first statements it took, on October 26, 1996, the Federal Police showed MdS a photograph of civil police officer Ranulfo, Maurílio Pinto de Medeiros and the civil police officer known as “Jorge Abafador.” She claimed not to recognize any of these persons as the ones who had fired at Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho. On October 28, 1996, the Federal Police requested a copy of the logbook kept at the fire station where “Jorge Abafador” was being held, covering the period October 18-21, 1996, as well as information from the trial judge as to whether he had authorized this person to leave the station.25 67.9. The Federal Police took statements from the following members of the Secretariat of Public Security: November 8, 1996, Maurílio Pinto de Medeiros Júnior; April 29, 1997, “Jorge Abafador;” May 15, 1997, Admílson Fernandes de Melo; and May 20, 1997, Maurílio Pinto de Medeiros.26 67.10. Overall, the investigation produced six different hypotheses on the alleged perpetrators of the death of Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho: a) civil police officers from the Secretariat of Public Security of the State of Rio Grande do Norte; because of his work as a human rights defender, Gilson Nogueira de Carvalho had fingered several members of the civil police force and had defended the next of kin of alleged victims of crimes committed by the police; 24 Cf. writ by State Civil Police Chief Luciano Queiroz de Araújo, October 20, 1996 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 1, folio 2763); order by Federal Police Chief Gilson José Ribeiro Campos, October 28, 1996 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 1, folios 2819 through 2821); and note No.480/96-GAB from the Governor of the State of Rio Grande del Norte addressed to the Secretary of Justice, October 21, 1996 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 1, folios 2750 and 2751). 25 Cf. writ by Federal Police Chief Gilson José Ribeiro Campos, October 25, 1996 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 1, folio 2748); statement by MdS on October 26, 1996, supra note 20; and writ by the Federal Police Chief on October 28, 1996, supra note 24. 26 Cf. statement by Maurílio Pinto de Medeiros Júnior to the Federal Police on November 8, 1996 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 2, folios 3093 through 3096); statement by Admílson Fernandes de Melo to the Federal Police on May 15, 1997 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 3, folios 3578 through 3582); statement by Maurílio Pinto de Medeiros on May 20, 1997, supra note 22; and statement by Jorge Luiz Fernandes, known as “Jorge Abafador,” to the Federal Police on April 29, 1997 (file of appendixes to the response to the application, Appendix 1, Volume 3, folios 3550 through 3555).