The life of Lorenzo and his relatives suddenly changed in the night of August 23 to 24, 2020. That night, a violent fight broke out between two groups of young people in Lattes (Hérault).
Lorenzo, 19, is severely beaten while on the ground.
His spinal cord is affected and he is left for dead.
Since this terrible attack, the young man has been quadriplegic: after being bedridden for nine months, he now uses a wheelchair.
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In a video relayed last week by videographer Rémi Gaillard, Lorenzo's mother, Élise, expresses her pain and anger.
Almost a year after the fact, she calls on President Emmanuel Macron.
"
For what reasons today in France one can commit such acts, be such criminals and be free?
Five people were arrested after the fact, remanded in custody and then released on bail.
Why ?
", She asks, suspecting the accused of being"
protected
".
“
Lorenzo was 19 years old at the time of the attack, he had just started working in green spaces. He liked it a lot because he loves nature. He also played rugby and liked to play the drums,
”explains Élise to Le Figaro. “
This assault was completely gratuitous. We had a quiet life and overnight everything changed. Our life is ruined and the attackers are out,
”she continues.
In this case, five individuals are currently under judicial supervision.
An unbearable situation for Élise.
“
My 14-year-old daughter once passed one of the suspects with her parents in a shopping mall.
They are outside.
It is not possible to let that happen in France, I do not understand
, ”she criticizes.
“
I have the rage, I am at the end of the roll.
I'm tired of seeing my son in an electric wheelchair, it's awful and I don't wish it on anyone.
This gratuitous violence must stop,
”concludes Lorenzo's mother.
A judicial investigation in progress
After this terrible assault, which occurred on the night of August 23 to 24, 2020, a judicial investigation was opened, in particular for willful violence resulting in permanent disability in meetings. It is a crime. “
Three of the indicted were initially placed in pre-trial detention before the investigating chamber overturned this decision and placed them under judicial supervision. In total, five people are now placed under judicial control within the framework of this procedure,
”indicates the prosecutor of the Republic of Montpellier, Fabrice Bélargent, in
Figaro
.
Some elements of the evening seem established while others are not yet with certainty. On the night of August 23-24, 2020, Lorenzo was with three friends. After an evening, the small group from Pérols went to Lattes to settle in a parking lot near the swimming pool where they used to be. The atmosphere is festive. Friends continue to drink and listen to music.
A few moments later, a general fight broke out with a second group comprising at least nine individuals, including three young women, living in Lattes. "
It appears that the two groups had started the evening in different respective places to party and were almost all very alcoholic
", indicates the Montpellier prosecutor's office at
Le Figaro
. Why this fight? “
While they (Lorenzo and his friends, Editor's note) were gathered there, initially, two individuals from the other group saw them and decided to meet them. One of the two was taken to task due to a dispute dating back a few weeks,
”explains the prosecution.
According to several statements, other individuals would then have arrived as reinforcements.
“It results from the declarations of the greatest number that one of the individuals would have left a vehicle precipitately to rush on Lorenzo. One and the other would eventually and very quickly fall into a ditch located in the immediate vicinity of the public highway, ”
continues the prosecution. According to Lorenzo's friends, themselves caught up in a general fight, a second individual would then have intervened to also beat the young man.
"
In the confusion, and in front of the antagonisms of the statements, the exact conditions under which the spinal cord compression noted by the forensic experts could have been committed to the detriment of Lorenzo are not established with certainty
", also specifies the prosecution. According to Lorenzo's mother, her son was tackled on his stomach by a first man and a second man jumped on him, kicking, punching and kneeling him. “
He immediately understood that it was serious, he cried out that he no longer felt his body,
” explains Élise.
The investigation continues to shed light on the facts. In particular, the results of a medical expert's report on the conditions under which the injuries were caused are awaited. Various technical investigations (cell phone analyzes, videos) are in progress.