“I wouldn’t call it a coup de theater”, reacts on franceinfo Me Caroline Remond, lawyer for the little cousins of Nordahl Lelandais whom he sexually assaulted. Nordahl Lelandais acknowledged on Friday, February 11, having “kidnapped” and “voluntarily” killed Maelys. “For fifteen days now, Nordahl Lelandais has told us that he was going to explain what he did to Maëlys in reality we are looking for the motive for the crime”she recalls.
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“He did not say spontaneously that he had intended to kill Maëlys, he said it on questions from his lawyer, it is an evolution in his defense. But the parents of Maëlys, and the parents of the sexually assaulted little cousins that I represent continue to ask themselves the questions: why? What was the act?explains the lawyer. “We have seen that Nordahl Lelandais adapts to the evidence that is shown to him. Concerning Maëlys, he certainly admitted an intention to kill, therefore, the murder of Maëlys but not a sexual motive. Despite the pressing questions of the lawyers of the part I’m a part of”according to Caroline Remond.
“He continues to recognize them at least, given the motive that he will not admit (…) There is a motive, necessarily, as in any crime. And there, he does not want to explain this motive. “
Me Caroline Remond, lawyer for the little cousins of Nordahl Lelandaisat franceinfo
According to her, the family of Maëlys “is not totally relieved” by these confessions because “they are convinced that the motive for the murder of Maëlys is a sexual motive. Obviously, there is no proof (…) We also see that he always blames others”, according to her. Me Caroline Remond also tells “the terrible phrase for parents” said by the accused. “While saying that he obviously does not blame the victims, or even the parents, he nevertheless induces it, and he said: ‘Maybe this little girl (speaking of Maëlys), she thought she was doing something stupid by getting into my car.’ You imagine that obviously, for the parents of Maelys, it is extremely painful and that they still do not have an answer.
The trial will last another week. Maitre Caroline Remond is particularly looking forward to Monday and Tuesday, “We are going to hear at the bar all the psychological and psychiatric experts who have intervened in this case. There are still a lot of things to say about the personality of Nordalh Lelandais, about his criminological dangerousness.”