Stéphane Plaza’s trial for violence against two ex-partners postponed until January 9, 2025

The 54-year-old presenter was not present this Wednesday for his hearing at the Paris criminal court, explaining that he was psychologically weakened by the “media lynching at [son] encounter”.

The trial of Stéphane Plaza has been postponed until January 9, 2025. This was decided by the president of the 10th chamber of the Paris Criminal Court, at the end of the day on Wednesday, August 28, during the hearing on the accusations of domestic violence against the star host of M6. His judicial supervision is also maintained. The president also ordered a psychiatric assessment of the defendant “with the mission of assessing his psychological and psychiatric health and his ability to appear.”

Placed under judicial supervision, the 54-year-old presenter was absent from the hearing for reasons of “mental health”, her lawyer Hélène Plumet had announced to AFP that same morning. She had specified that the “clinical psychologist” who follows the host had “strongly discouraged” to go to court “taking into account the risk of psychological decompensation”.

The president read a certificate from the said psychologist, who has been following him regularly since his referral in March 2024. In this letter dated August 22, she considers that Stéphane Plaza “presents significant psychological manifestations against a background of severe depressive symptoms: massive anxiety, dark thoughts, sleep disorders…” and recommends hospitalization of the host “in a protected environment”. In another letter, addressed by Stéphane Plaza himself to the court on August 23, he denounces “the media lynching at [son] encounter”.

Hélène Plumet recalled that her client had been the target of blackmail and attempted extortion in July and August by another woman, who was sent to the criminal court for these facts. She assured that the host really wanted “be present at the hearing”. “But the media coverage surrounding this affair has weakened him greatly.”continued the lawyer, regretting that her condition had been “accentuated by recurring articles from Mediapart”.

“A few days before the hearing, he had reached an extremely high level of stress. If a little time passes, we can hope that he will be able to express himself.”

Hélène Plumet, lawyer of Stéphane Plaza

Carlo Alberto Brusa, the host’s other lawyer, said that Stéphane Plaza’s hospitalization, “in the coming weeks, the coming days” was not to be excluded. When he is better, his client will be present, he assured. “Mr. Plaza is ready to come to the hearing in a context of serenity”he insisted.

The civil parties did not hide their discontent. Clotilde Lepetit, lawyer of Eva, one of the plaintiffs (according to the nickname given to him Mediapartwho revealed the affair in September 2023)regrets having discovered the request for referral today. “For my client, it is a real suffering to undergo this legal process, to have submitted to expert assessments, to long and painful confrontations”she insisted. She believes that the presence of Stéphane Plaza is necessary for the balance of the debates and did not oppose the postponement but wishes it to be “really, really” present at the next hearing.

“We are making fun of the civil parties”said Benjamin Chouai, lawyer for Jade, the other plaintiff, denouncing the methods “dilatory” of the defense, aimed at delaying the trial according to him. The hearing had in fact begun with the examination of two priority questions of constitutionality (QPC) filed by the lawyers of the host. After more than two hours of suspension to examine them, these were finally dismissed by the court and will not be transmitted to the Court of Cassation, because “devoid of serious character”the president said.