The alleged murderer in the case of the body found in the Rhône tied up in June 2018, has been on trial since Thursday at the Assises de la Drôme. At his side, his mother, 84, indicted for receiving a corpse. The first day of hearing at the Court of Valence was devoted to the study of the personalities of Jean-Paul and Marie-Thérèse Girard.
A close relationship
Jean-Paul Girard has always lived with his mother and sisters, in a house located one kilometer from their farm, where the murder of Éric Viguié, 48, was committed on June 18, 2018. Experts describe a close relationship between mother and son. “The boss” he said, “the boy” for the old woman with white hair. A relationship that would lock Jean-Paul Girard, 56, never out of this family cocoon. He would have been under the influence of his father until his death in 2000.
The “householder“, would never have accepted that his son, the accused, should not leave their home alone until he was 25. Jean-Paul Girard explains that he attempted suicide between his 20 and 25 years and that he did not has never managed to be in a relationship. So his mother, Marie-Thérèse takes care of him. For several years, he works in the commune of Pennes-le-Sec (Drôme) and leaves from Monday to Friday: “he took food for the week“explains the mother. In 2012, he took early retirement due to health problems. Since then, the man has been gardening and taking care of his donkeys.
A suspected, immature murderer
“He was nice, he was a good guy“launches a former employer of Jean-Paul Girard at the helm. His sisters are struggling to speak in court. “I didn’t think that I would be in front of the Assises one day“explains one of them. Those close to the accused unanimously portray a somewhat naive, non-violent man who does not like conflict. And it is the conflict with the victim, Éric Viguié, who would have was the trigger for the murder.The man accommodated for a small rent on the Girard land allegedly reproached Jean-Paul for taking poor care of his donkeys, accusing him of mistreatment.
It is to prevent him from calling the veterinary services that the accused allegedly fired. Two bullets, one in the head”to complete it” he said. “This man has no empathy” relates a psychiatrist expert, “he is not able to anticipate the consequences of his actions.“The doctor explains that Jean-Paul Girard probably did not anticipate that shooting someone was going to kill him. The man is described as immature by the various psychiatrists and psychologists. criminal liability.
The psychiatrist who examined Marie-Thérèse Girard diagnosed a persistent depressive disorder for almost 20 years. Depression that is not medically supported. She, answers yes, sometimes, “I have bouts of depression“. This depressive disorder would constitute a reason for partially altering his discernment at the time of the events. But this does not lead the expert to conclude that he has no criminal liability whatsoever.
I always took everything and said nothing – Marie-Thérèse Girard
At the helm, the old woman recounts her childhood, then her meeting with her husband, Pierre. He quickly begins an extra-marital relationship with Marie-Thérèse’s cousin, from whom a child is born. But when he fell ill, Marie-Thérèse took care of him. For 25 years, she dialyses him at home, eight hours three times a week. Until the evening when his heart stops.
The woman tries to save him, but it’s too late. “I had his life in my hands“explains Marie-Thérèse, who goes to Lourdes for one week a year as a hospital worker. “Those are the only times I go out.” The rest of the time, experts and family describe her as “submissive” to the authority of her sometimes violent husband. “I always took everything and said nothing“, “maybe not for Monsieur Viguié [ndlr : la victime] therefore“answers the President of the Court of Assize.
In front of the jurors, the woman collapses: “what are all these people going to think of me?” she said, crying. “I am sorry, I am in any pain with the Viguié family. I know he won’t come back, but I have a heart. I know I destroyed a father.“The President of the Court listens carefully and recalls that the facts – the murder – will only be studied on the second day, this Friday.