Incriminated by the famous inscription “Omar killed me”, the former gardener had benefited from a partial pardon in 1996.
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Twenty-seven years after Omar Raddad’s conviction for the murder of a wealthy widow, Ghislaine Marchal, the courts decided to reopen the case on Thursday, December 16, a first step towards a possible review of the trial, franceinfo learned from Sylvie Noachovitch, his lawyer. Incriminated by the famous inscription “Omar killed me”, the former gardener, who had benefited from a partial pardon in 1996, has always claimed his innocence and wishes to have his 1994 conviction overturned.
Following this decision, the family of Ghislaine Marchal announced “take note of the decision”, in a press release sent to franceinfo. “She wants these investigations to bring a definitive end to a painfully experienced affair”, adds the victim’s family, who “hopes that this new judicial component will take place in a peaceful media climate”.
Seized by Omar Raddad of a request for review, the investigating committee ordered additional information, a judicial source told AFP. “This decision is a step towards the revisionOmar Raddad’s lawyer told reporters. The battle is not over. “
His new request, in one of the most enigmatic and controversial criminal cases in France, is based on advances in DNA science and on a law passed in June 2014 which relaxes the criteria for obtaining the review of a trial.
Sentenced in 1994 to 18 years imprisonment, without the possibility of appealing at the time, Omar Raddad received a partial pardon from President Jacques Chirac, then a conditional release in 1998. But this pardon does not constitute cancellation of condemnation and do not make him innocent.