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RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Court granted on Friday a habeas corpus to former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes, who was found guilty of killing Eliza Samudio, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his son.
Fernandes was originally sentenced to 22 years and three months of prison for the murder of Samudio, for hiding her corpse - which was never found - and for kidnapping his baby son, also called Bruno. He has served six years and seven months of that term.
However, he appealed the decision and was granted the right to await his appeal trial out of jail, albeit with restricted freedom of movement. Supreme Court Judge Marco Aurelio de Mello said the preventive prison to which Fernandes was subjected until his appeal trial takes place has already taken too long.
Eliza Samudio, 25, went missing in 2010. Investigators found out she was last seen with Fernandes and some of his friends.
Later, it discovered she was kept prisoner in a ranch owned by the goalkeeper, until she was murdered and her body disposed of. It is believed her body was dismembered and fed to dogs, as confessed by one of Fernandes' accomplices.
No date has been set for Fernades' appeal hearing.
According to local news portal G1, Samudio's mother, who has the custody of her grandson, said she now fears for her and the boy's lives.
