Two years after the sordid murder of young Océane Boyer, François Sénécal intends to admit his guilt in the coming days, his lawyer announced Wednesday morning at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse. An agreement has been reached between the parties.
Posted at 10:40 a.m.
The murder of the 13-year-old girl shocked Quebec in February 2020, at the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic. While she had to go to school that morning, Océane Boyer had instead been found on the edge of a country road in Brownsburg-Chatham, near Lachute. François Sénécal, a close friend of Océane’s family, had been accused of the first degree murder of the teenager.
Details of the case revealed at the preliminary hearing last fall remain under a publication ban until he is found guilty.
PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
Francois Senecal
A few months before his jury trial, François Sénécal finally intends to recognize his wrongs and plead guilty in this case. This reversal comes after “following two facilitation sessions between the parties which bore fruit”, explained Crown Prosecutor M.and Steve Baribeau.
“On April 22, it will be to plead guilty, family members will be present and you will have the opportunity to address the court,” explained Judge Eliane B. Perreault to the accused.
A common sentencing suggestion will be presented to Judge France Charbonneau, said Ms.and Martin Latour, François Sénécal’s lawyer. The lawyers did not specify to which charge François Sénécal would plead and what the suggested sentence would be.
Océane’s parents attended the hearing by videoconference. Members of the teenager’s family will also address the court as part of the sentencing submissions, said Ms.and Baribeau.
François Sénécal appeared by phone on Wednesday due to a COVID outbreak in custody. However, the prison authorities had not warned the judge, as required by protocol. “This situation cannot happen again, you cannot learn a red zone in the morning. Mr. Latour could not speak with his client, ”lamented Judge Perreault, who called the prison official to account.