An “unprecedented” collective plea, for an extraordinary trial. At the trial of the attacks that killed 130 people in France on November 13, 2015, the lawyers for the civil parties, survivors or relatives of the victims, began their pleadings on Monday, scheduled to last until the beginning of June.
“How in a few minutes can you tell of the infinite diversity of the victims and the bond that brings them together? It is infeasible. We are therefore going to present something else to you, another form of pleading, unprecedented, in which around a hundred lawyers participated, ”said Me Frédérique Giffard before the special assize court in Paris. These lawyers, who represent approximately two thirds of the nearly 2,400 civil parties at trial, will not plead for their client but for the “community” of civil parties, in a pleading organized by theme.
For five days, the lawyers must follow one another at the bar to deal with cross-cutting subjects such as “the hijacking of religion” or “music as an instrument of terror” (Monday); “the Bataclan concert hall”, “the Stade de France” and “the terraces”, the different places of the attacks in Paris and in the suburbs (Tuesday); or even “post-traumatic stress”, “addictions” , “survivor’s guilt” (Wednesday). This desire for “coordination” which aims not to create “inequality of arms” against the defendants in the box, has prompted more than a hundred other lawyers to give up voluntarily to plead to rely on their colleagues.
“Mr. President, at the beginning of this hearing, you drew all of our attention to the need, although this trial is unprecedented, to remain within the norm. There was one point that was important: it was respect for the rights of the defence,” announced Me Giffard. “We’ve been composing for six years so that our clients don’t suffer twice: first because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time”, on the evening of November 13, 2015, and then not to suffer “d ‘to have been too numerous to be able to each be a victim in their own right’.
The court could begin its deliberation on June 27, after “the last word” of the defendants, for a verdict expected on June 29
“We will all keep as a compass the dignity with which the victims have expressed themselves,” she promised. Every day, before the start of the pleadings, lawyers will speak briefly to evoke the memory of victims. This Monday, the stories of Christopher, Thibault, Charlotte and Emilie, Fabrice, Stéphane, Mathieu, Estelle and Marion.
Some lawyers preferred not to join their colleagues or give up speaking. They will speak individually from June 1. The pleadings of the civil parties should last at least until June 7. The requisitions of the general attorneys of the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office are scheduled for June 8 to 10 before the floor is left to the defense from June 13.
The court could begin its deliberation on June 27, after “the last word” of the defendants, for a verdict expected on June 29. Twenty defendants, including six tried in absentia, have been appearing before the special assize court in Paris since September 8 for their involvement in the attacks. Twelve face life imprisonment, including the only living member of the commandos, Salah Abdeslam.