What happened in Douai, in the Dorignies district, on September 12 at 7:40 p.m.? The question, asked several times during six hour hearing in the criminal court on Tuesday, remained without specific answers.
A 46-year-old police officer from the anti-crime brigade (BAC) was tried for willful violence with a weapon, by a person holding public authority. Justice accuses him of having struck, with the unmarked BAC car he was driving, a 17 year old who had fled to escape control.
An experienced “baqueux”
The policeman who comes to the bar is not a novice: he is in his 25th year of career, including 15 at the BAC. He arrived in Douai a few months before the events, to lead one of the two brigades. “I like the field, looking for the flagrante delicto” he assures of entry. “He’s a hunter“confirmed to the investigators one of his three colleagues present that evening in the car.
So when in this area known for drug trafficking, he sees a young man with a designer bag slung over his shoulder and a hood on his head who starts running to escape control, he follows him, up to this dead end where the accident takes place.
Divergent versions
So far, everyone is in agreement. It is then that the versions diverge. “He hit me“, assures the youngster, Alexis, “I flew on the hood, then I fell, and it rolled over my legs“. Assessment: a broken foot, numerous wounds, six weeks of immobilization. His mother, Marie-Christine, is at his side: “I’m not anti-police, but just because he’s an officer doesn’t mean he has the right to knock someone down and run away“.
The policeman disputes everything: “I did not hit this gentleman“, he begins by repeating. To, over the hours, recognize having positioned his car across the road, to stop its course, and talk about “contact“According to his version, it was the youngster who threw himself on the bonnet.”Then why not call the emergency services?“raises the president.For us, he was not hurt“replies the chief brigadier.
We built a castle on sand
The young man will in fact flee once again, after the accident, before crash at a neighbor’s house, who will call for help. “He ran, with such wounds?“Asks the policeman’s lawyer. And Emmanuel Riglaire lists certain inconsistencies, before asking for release:”he bled profusely, and there are no marks on the vehicle“. For him, the file does not hold: “we built a castle on sand“. And to sweep away the testimonies which nevertheless corroborate the version of the young man: “there is an omerta in the neighborhood, people go in the direction of the drug traffickers, because they are afraid of reprisals“.
The policeman does not assume
For the victim’s lawyer, the scenario is however clear: Nadia Tir believes that “the policeman does not assume, that’s why he has difficulty telling the facts in a precise way. But there is something that is constant in the testimonies: it is someone who wants to challenge, who wants to make numbers, in particular to obtain a promotion“.
Missed arrest
The four police officers will have, during the investigation, delivered several versions of this disaster party, neglecting, in their report, to mention this other failure: one of the officials tried to spray the youth with tear gas to stop his run, but the wind blew everything back towards the police, who were unable to pursue him.
Your action was dangerous and unprofessional
In his indictment, the public prosecutor, Frédéric Fourtoy, will put some measure back into these often heated and heated debates. He addresses the policeman:we know you didn’t hit that kid to knock him out. You wanted to block it. But your action was very dangerous, and not at all professional“. Regretting that there is not “the beginning of a questioning” at the defendant, he asks, “taking into account his service record“, two years in prison, of which one year is suspended, and a two-year ban on practicing police.
The judgment will be rendered on February 8, at 9 am.