While the appeal trial of former Prime Minister François Fillon and his wife for suspicion of fictitious jobs is currently taking place in Paris, a quote attributed to their lawyer is widely shared on social networks. It is in fact a parody taken at face value.
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A screenshot of what looks like a press headline has been widely shared since Tuesday, November 16 on social networks, Twitter in particular. Here’s what the title in question: Pénélope Fillon’s lawyer: “She could open up to 30 envelopes a day!”
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If this message has been shared so much in recent days, it is because the former Prime Minister François Fillon, his wife and his ex-deputy appear again since Monday in court in the context of the case of suspicion of fictitious employment by Pénélope Fillon, when she was parliamentary assistant to the National Assembly between 1998 and 2013.
The screenshot shared on Twitter and Facebook actually comes from the Europe 1 radio website. It is the title of a text by comedian Matthieu Noël, broadcast on Tuesday morning. The principle of this column is to put yourself in the shoes of a lawyer defending personalities who make the news. But nothing in the title indicates that this is a false plea.
The couple had been convicted at first instance half a year ago. During this first trial, the defense of the Fillon couple had notably explained that Pénélope had notably taken care of the management of her companion’s mail. François Fillon then explained that he received “tens and tens“letters to her home, without being able to give” precise figures “. For her part, Pénélope Fillon had estimated to receive between”35 to 40 letters per week“.