The Franco-Spanish lawyer – who had accompanied Laura de Pradena Caceres during her divorce proceedings – had the terrible task of translating the prosecutor’s press conference to relatives. It was through her voice that the bereaved family learned of “the real massacre, a scene of absolute horror” of which their daughter and younger sister was the victim. “They are sad, dejected, very angry and they want the author to be severely punished,” reports Me Roul.
An “unjustifiable” act
The designated author of these stabbings, indicted on Saturday February 19 for homicide by a person in a state of intoxication, had already been the subject of a five-month suspended prison sentence for acts of violence on a ex-spouse in 2018. A precedent which, according to the lawyer, sheds light on the personality of the 41-year-old Marmandais who recognized the facts, but who still benefits from the presumption of innocence. “We want to understand how we can manage to kill the one we say we love and in such a way. Nothing can justify such an act: neither alcohol nor jealousy. »
The family of Laura de Pradena Caceres want the alleged murderer to be punished harshly
However, it is this reason that the lawyer for the person concerned puts forward: “It is not a cold and thoughtful crime, but a reaction to a strong emotion of betrayal, even if that in no way excuses his acts, which he quickly became aware”, underlines Maître Céline Pascal. For the defense, “there is a gap between acts of domestic violence and a crime” and the experts will have the task of analyzing this path. If the qualification of murder on spouse was not retained by justice because of the brevity of the relationship that the victim had with his alleged murderer, “in his mind they were a couple”, specifies Me Pascal.
A civil party association
“Understanding the psychological mechanisms that lead to violence is a way for professionals who have to deal with these cases to detect potential risk situations that can lead to feminicides”, abounds Maître Roul. The council of the family of the stabbed young woman will also assist the SOS Accueil Mamans Enfants association, which will be a civil party at the time of the probable trial in assizes.