He had killed his wife on Christmas Day in 2017 in front of their children: Bruno Engler, a former soldier sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of his wife last year, was released, his appeal trial did not having been able to take place in time, reveals Var-Morning.
The man, a drug addict, had stabbed his wife, whom he suspected of having an affair, in front of his three children aged 9, 14 and 15. The two eldest, who had tried to intervene, were also injured, according to France Blue.
Sentenced on April 20, 2021 by the Assize Court of Var de Draguignan to 25 years of criminal imprisonment, he appealed eight days later. Under article 380-3-1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he should have “appeared before the assize court ruling on appeal on the public action within one year”.
A new trial in July in Nice
His lawyer had asked for the case to be relocated and, she tells Var-Morninga “human error” took as the starting point of the appeal the judgment of the criminal chamber which designated the Assize Court of the Alpes-Maritimes as the appeal court.
On April 28, she therefore asked to release her client, detained in the Toulon-La Farlède prison center. Released, the man was placed “under very strict judicial control”, she specifies, in Metz, with his parents, and far from his children who remained in the Var.
Still according to the regional daily, the new trial should take place in July in Nice.