Gwladys Laffitte
After hours of procrastination, the Court ended up suspending the trial of the attacks of November 13 and ordering a medical second opinion on the state of health of Salah Abdeslam at the request of his lawyers. Contaminated by Covid-19 at the end of December, he is still positive.
After hours of procrastination, the trial of the November 13 attacks was finally suspended until Tuesday, January 11. The Court ordered Thursday a medical second opinion on the state of health of Salah Abdeslam.
The main accused was infected with Covid at the end of December, and his test is still positive. The positivity is low according to the result of his PCR test done on Monday and only known on Wednesday. But the medical expert has declared Salah Abdeslam fit to appear twice. His lawyers were not of this opinion and therefore requested a second opinion, relying in particular on the cough and fatigue of their unvaccinated client. Is it still contagious? This is the answer that is lacking today.
“He has the right to a fair trial”
Indeed, the accused are very close to each other and risk being infected. An argument also supported by civil party lawyers like Antoine Casubolo-Ferro: “I understand that it can annoy some of our civil parties to see this man who looks good. He is also positive for Covid-19. We have someone who risks infecting others. And that must be explained. Whatever one thinks about it and whatever one hopes, as for his future, the fact remains that he has the right to a fair trial “.
Two doctors will therefore examine Salah Abdeslam. They must submit their report before Tuesday, when the hearing could then resume. With, already, a week behind the initial schedule, while the trial should last normally until the end of May.