His name has been added to the program.
Not without provoking a controversy.
Tuesday evening, all those involved in the trial of the January 2015 attacks learned that the hearing of the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, had been scheduled for Monday, September 21, the day when the specially composed Assize Court must address the bloody hostage-taking at the Hyper Cacher at Porte de Vincennes (Paris 12th arrondissement).
The announcement of this testimony, which was not in the original schedule, stirred the debates at the opening of the hearing this Wednesday morning.
"I wonder about this testimony ..." launches Me Daphné Pugliesi, one of the defense lawyers without hiding her perplexity.
“Recovery!
»Growl several lawyers on the bench of the civil parties, who join the reservations expressed by the defense.
President Régis De Jorna intervenes and justifies the addition of this testimony in the name of his discretion.
"The request was made to me by Me Patrick Klugman, the lawyer for SOS Racisme, at the request of the president of the association Dominique Sopo," he explains.
I asked Mr. Klugman to send a letter to find out in what terms this witness intended to testify.
"
The defense hears but does not intend to stop there.
"The decision is yours," admits Me Pugliesi.
“But after a debate, adds the criminal lawyer.
I am simply surprised that this question was not discussed between us beforehand orally.
"It is important that we are aware of this letter," adds Me Caty Richard, a civil party lawyer.
"In these cases, why we do not also hear François Hollande who said that it was useless to put a police car to guard the premises of
Charlie Hebdo
", outbid Me Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, the lawyer of main accused.
"No desire for recovery"
Contacted on the sidelines of the trial, Me Klugman justifies his request.
"The request comes from SOS Racisme, but other civil party associations felt that his testimony could be relevant," says the lawyer, also former deputy mayor of Paris.
“In this complex trial, we are judging a sequence that spans three days and we were looking for a witness who can speak about this whole sequence,” he continues.
The mayor of Paris seemed to us in the best position.
She lived these facts as closely as possible personally and politically, she accompanied the victims, she had to dramatically change the way she sees the life of Parisians after 2015… There is no desire to recuperate in this.
The second reason is that she wanted to support victims and civil parties.
"
The debate should again animate the court in the coming days.
