Two assassination attempts, two investigations.
At the trial in Paris of an American mother and son accused of having wanted to suppress the French father, against the background of inheritance cases, the court heard on Tuesday May 10 the police officers in charge of the investigations.
Read alsoParis: the assassination attempts of a mother and her son on the father in court
In the dock are June Hopkins, 60 - long braid and eternal smile - and her son Brendan Walsh, 30 - pale complexion and beige shirt.
The son is on trial before the Assize Court for two assassination attempts against his biological father, in 2010 and 2015;
his mother only for the second.
Facing them in the courtroom, the father, Grégoire L., 57, who has suffered from depression since.
"I can't explain it"
August 2010. June Hopkins and Brendan Walsh, then just 18 years old, go to Paris to reconnect with the latter's father, whom they had not seen for fifteen years.
Grégoire L. lends them his apartment but an argument breaks out when he realizes that they took the opportunity to search his papers, in particular those relating to the estate of his father, who died recently.
According to Grégoire L.'s version, Brendan Walsh then pours a bottle of barbecue lighter fluid over him and he hears the clicking of a lighter.
He turns around suddenly, punches his son, who draws a Japanese sword - a sixty-centimetre katana shown to the audience - before being overpowered by Grégoire L.'s brother, present on the spot .
June Hopkins, she will not move, will assure the investigators the brother of Grégoire L. A version that the mother and the son categorically deny, while the investigation is incomplete.
At the bar, the policewoman who came to trace her does not lead far, facing the accusation and the defense which torment her in unison.
Why didn't the police collect Grégoire L.'s supposedly gasoline-soaked t-shirt?
And the lighter?
Why has no one gone to check on the apartment?
"
I can't explain it to myself
", "
I didn't think about it
", replies the policewoman.
“It was I who made the seal”
The only usable item, the bottle of flammable liquid, brought to the police station by Grégoire L. Was it appraised to look for Brendan Walsh's fingerprints?
The policewoman whispers that she went from hand to hand at the police station, before landing in her locker.
“
It was I who made the seal
,” she stammers.
The Americans will leave the country a few days later, without being worried.
Arrives at the bar another investigator, come to relate in a firm voice, the second assassination attempt.
In February 2015, Grégoire L.'s sister returned home when a man and a woman, their faces hidden under motorcycle helmets, jumped on her and tried to strangle her.
Neighbors intervene.
Grégoire L. leaves the pavilion and sees his sister on the ground, shocked.
It's "
the Americans
," she moaned.
He goes after them.
His ex-girlfriend sticks her fingers in his eyes, his son tries to strangle him with an electric cable.
Again, neighbors put them to flight.
June Hopkins and Brendan Walsh will be arrested the next day.
Read alsoAn American mother and son tried in Paris for incredible assassination attempts on the French father
The investigation showed that the mother and son had been back in Paris since 2012 and had lived in isolation, spying on the father and his relatives.
Microphones and cameras were found in front of Grégoire L. The investigator lists the equipment found in the apartment rented by the Americans.
A large shovel under the mother's bed, and in the cellar, an axe, a mirror pole, camera goggles, camouflage uniforms, balaclavas and masks... "
It's the perfect equipment for the little spy
", she summarizes.
"
The shovel and the axe, unless you're spying in the forest...
", says the president.
“
We spy first, then we drill holes
,” replies the investigator.
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