Approved by the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal for more than twenty years, the expert claims “to be able to identify hooded people”, according to the lawyer of a young convict. The lawyer has filed a complaint and denounces “particularly problematic” methods.
In Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), an investigation is opened for attempted aggravated judgment fraud against an expert approved by the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), Jean-Pierre Stepanow , learned franceinfo from the prosecutor. It was entrusted to the departmental directorate of public security of the Alpes-Maritimes.
This investigation follows a complaint, filed last June. According to the plaintiff’s lawyer, Samir Z., Jean-Pierre Stepanow uses methods “particularly problematic“, stating in particular “be able to recognize hooded people“.
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During a trial during which Jean-Pierre Stepanow submitted an expert report, Samir Z. was identified as being one of the protagonists in the robbery of a villa in Théoule-sur-Mer (Alpes-Maritimes), with violence on the couple occupying the premises. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison, a sentence against which he appealed. Three other people were sentenced to between 5 and 15 years’ imprisonment and three were acquitted.
“Never conditional” during expertise
Samir Z.’s lawyer, master Yassine Bouzrou, denounces the expert’s methods: “Mr. Stepanow’s report was not based on any scientific expertise or experience (…) he essentially indicated that he could formally recognize hooded people thanks to his eye because he ‘sees what no one sees’, and can in particular recognize an ear through a hood“, writes the lawyer in his complaint.
“Mr. Stepanow indicated at the hearing that he never used the conditional during an expertise and that he was always affirmative and formal when he recognized someone, regardless of the quality of the images, the information it has to identify the person and even if the face of the person on the video is almost completely hidden“, he continues.
“There may be many innocent people convicted on the basis of scandalous expertise,” Yassine Bouzrou told franceinfo.
Master Yassine Bouzrouat franceinfo
Contacted by franceinfo, Jean-Pierre Stepanow’s lawyer, Maître Rodrigue Flahaut said to himself “very satisfied“of the opening of an investigation for”assert the truth outside of the media“. He recalls that his client was approved by the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence during a “completely normal procedure, between 2000 and 2002“. He also intends to file a complaint, among other things for defamation, on what was written about his client in the press.
The offense of fraud in the judgment indicates the lie of an individual towards a judge, so that he renders a decision prejudicial to another person.