From our special correspondent in Chambéry
The moment was eagerly awaited.
But did not allow to advance an inch.
This Friday, May 7, on the fifth day of the trial of Nordahl Lelandais for the murder of Arthur Noyer, the Assize Court of Savoy questioned the accused on the charges against him.
“Do you have anything to add to what you have said so far?”
, asked the president in the preamble.
The thirty-something shook his head.
From that moment, the fold was taken: we would not know more about the death of Arthur Noyer during the interrogation conducted by the president.
Read also: Trial of Nordahl Lelandais: the moving testimony of those close to Arthur Noyer
On the first day of the hearing, the former dog handler had launched:
“Yes, I gave death to Arthur Noyer, without wanting to give it to him.
I never wanted to kill him. ”
He had camped on this position when the president of the Assize Court had given him the floor so that he explained his version a little longer, on the third day.
Completely locked, he continued on this path on this fifth day, despite the contradictions noted in his account by the president.
"It was cowardice"
Asked about the evening of April 11, 2017, Nordahl Lelandais admitted to having written that evening to two of his relations, Richard and Camille,
"for sexual relations"
.
After their refusal, he strolled through Chambéry, at reduced speed.
“I used to come to Chambéry, I knew a lot of people, especially in the nightlife.
It has happened to me to cross people and to say to them “Come on, let's have a drink” without any other thought, ”
he explained painstakingly.
Read also: Lelandais trial: the story of Arthur Noyer's last night
He then hitchhiked Arthur Noyer around three in the morning.
He continued to claim to have deposited it in a parking lot in Saint-Baldoph, at his request - while the soldier had expressed his intention to return to his battalion to several people.
The young man would then have started a fight.
This Friday, the accused admitted to having
"inflated the attack [of the corporal] towards [him]"
by declaring during one of his versions to have been injured in the brow bone.
"It was cowardice"
Faced with the lifeless body of Arthur Noyer, Nordahl Lelandais
"really does not know what to do".
"I'm in a panic ... I know I should have called for help, of course,"
he said.
The accused still had
"the presence of mind to turn off [his] phone" a
few minutes after the corporal's death, noted the president, visibly unconvinced.
Read also: The Walnut case: the personality of Nordahl Lelandais scrutinized
The thirty-
something
explained that after the death of Arthur Noyer, he had
"not had the courage"
to denounce himself to the police and the gendarmerie.
“It was complicated to get to say 'Yes, I killed a man'. It was cowardice, I admit. "
It was not until February 2018 for him to admit having hitchhiked the corporal, then March for him to admit having caused the death of the young man. Three years later, his version has not changed, to the chagrin of the civil parties, who kept imploring him to
"tell the truth"
and seemed exasperated throughout the interrogation of the president.