Murder for TRPs? Brazil cop-anchor under scanner

A state lawmaker in Brazil who hosted a crime TV show with graphic footage of murder victims in the largely lawless Amazon region is under investigation for ordering killings that boosted his show's popularity, law enforcement officials said on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, police confirmed they are investigating Souza and his son for allegedly ordering at least five of the killings to boost his ratings.

"The order to execute always came from the legislator and his son, who then alerted the TV crews to get to the scene before the police," state police intelligence chief Thomaz Vasconcelos told The Associated Press.

The killings, he said, "appear to have been committed to get rid of his rivals and increase the audience of the TV show."

Souza's lawyer, Francisco Balieiro, said his client vehemently denies the accusations, and accused political opponents of trying to disgrace him with false accusations.

He said the only witness is a disgraced police officer who made the accusations in hopes of leniency in nine murders he is charged with.

Vasconcelos, however, said the accusations stem from the testimony of several former employees and security guards who worked with the Souzas, allegedly as part of a gang of former police officers involved in drug trafficking.

Souza's son, Rafael, has already been jailed on charges of homicide, drug trafficking and illegal gun possession.

Police said the father faces charges of drug trafficking, gang formation and weapons possession, but remains free because of legislative immunity. No charges have been brought against him in the killings.

Vasconcelos said the crimes appeared to have served the Souzas in two ways: they eliminated drug-trafficking rivals, and they boosted ratings.

Souza became a media personality after a career as a police officer that ended in disgrace.

Vasconcelos said he was fired for involvement in scams involving fuel theft and pension fraud.

He started "Canal Livre" in the 1990s on a local station in Manaus, the capital of Brazil's largely lawless Amazonas state.

It became extremely popular among Manaus' 1.7 (m) million residents before going off the air late last year as police intensified their investigation.

The show featured Souza, in a studio, railing against rampant crime in the state, punctuated with often exclusive footage of arrests, crime scenes and drug seizures.

Souza parlayed his television fame into a career in the state legislature, getting elected three times - twice with the most votes of any lawmaker in the state.

At the same time, he remained a fixture on television.

Souza's biography on the state legislature's Web site says the show, which he ran with his brother, was investigative journalism aimed at fighting crime and social injustice.