The lawyers of Nicolas Sarkozy's co-defendants, his lawyer Thierry Herzog and the former high magistrate Gilbert Azibert, began their defense pleadings on Thursday, December 10, on the last day of the trial of the so-called “
tapping
” case.
To read also: Affair of "tapping": Nicolas Sarkozy ready to do battle
"
My remarks will be the absolute criticism, without reservation (...) of this file, which is the perfect illustration of everything that should not be done in a criminal procedure
", declared Dominique Allegrini, Azibert's lawyer , at the beginning of his plea.
Me Allegrini denounced the requisitions of the prosecution which are as many "
death sentences: a social death penalty for Gilbert Azibert, a professional death penalty for Thierry Herzog and a political death penalty for Nicolas Sarkozy
".
The three defendants appear for corruption and influence peddling - Me Herzog also being prosecuted for violation of professional secrecy and Azibert for concealment of this violation.
Thierry Herzog's advice must conclude the pleadings, before a last word from the defendants.
The decision will then be reserved.
On Tuesday, financial prosecutors requested four years in prison, including two firm, against the three men, asking that the sentence be accompanied by five years of professional prohibition for Me Herzog.
According to the prosecution, Nicolas Sarkozy did obtain in 2014, through his lawyer, information covered by secrecy from Gilbert Azibert about an appeal then under consideration at the Court of Cassation.
At the time, Nicolas Sarkozy had benefited from a dismissal in the Bettencourt case, but he was seeking to have the high court annul the seizure of his presidential agendas, which could have been poured into other legal proceedings.
For the financial prosecutors, in return for this information and an attempt to influence the magistrates who were examining his request, the former head of state promised to bring a "
boost
" to Azibert for a prestigious position in Monaco - where the latter was ultimately never appointed.
The three defendants strongly proclaimed their innocence during the trial, contesting the interpretation made by the PNF of telephone conversations between Sarkozy and Herzog intercepted by the courts on the unofficial line opened in the name of "
Paul Bismuth
".
"
We are light years away from a corruption pact
," said Jacqueline Laffont, lawyer for Nicolas Sarkozy, on Wednesday, who pleaded for acquittal by denouncing a "
desert of evidence
".
