In 1995, when Bernard Pivot asked him, on the set of “Bouillon de culture” (France 2), what his favorite word was, Robert Badinter replied: “Justice”.
It must be said that, to exercise it, the former lawyer and Minister of Justice, who died on the night of Thursday to Friday February 9 at the age of 95, largely resorted to the oratory art which he mastered like few in the political world.
The rest after this ad
“All that can still save a man are words.
One word too many, one unwelcome word, it’s over,” he said later, returning to his defense in 1977 of Patrick Henry, prosecuted for the murder of a child.
His indictment at the time was already a plea against the death penalty.
“You are going to vote now,” he told the jurors, shortly before the deliberation.
If you vote as the attorney general asks you, I tell you, time will pass, it will be over.
(…) And then, there will be abolition.
And then, one day, you will tell your children that you sentenced a young man to death... And you will see their looks!
» He managed to save the accused's head.
Subscribe
Already subscribed?
To log in