A defendant and a victim falling into each other's arms just before a trial is a rare and surprising image.
Since this Tuesday morning, a 44-year-old man has appeared before the Essonne criminal court for acts of violence with a weapon, followed by mutilation or permanent disability, committed on November 16, 2018 in Corbeil-Essonnes.
That day, the accused had fought with his friend.
He had injured him with two stab wounds, including one to the throat, which almost cost him his life.
From the facts until the trial, the accused was prohibited from appearing in Essonne and from coming into contact with the victim.
“I regret it enormously,” the accused immediately says, his voice breaking with emotion.
It makes me feel sorry for him, he remains a friend.
I don't know how we got there.
It happened so quickly.
If I could go back... We're not criminals, neither me nor him, but I take responsibility.
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Everyone had taken out a knife
How did these two childhood friends get there?
The origin of the conflict would be a debt of 100 euros.
Some time previously, the victim had lent his friend 250 euros.
He reimbursed her, 100, then 50 euros.
But he was unable to recover the remaining amount.
Insults were exchanged over the phone.
The two men ended up meeting on November 18 at the beginning of the afternoon.
But the meeting immediately degenerated, with everyone pulling out a knife.
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The accused was hit in the arm, requiring stitches and six days of total incapacity for work.
The victim was hit in the left calf and throat.
A large and deep wound that could have been fatal.
Realizing what he had done, the accused loaded the victim into his car and took her to the Sud Ile-de-France hospital center in Corbeil-Essonnes.
Once dropped off, he checked on her and left her phone number before leaving the scene.
If the forty-year-old admitted to having carried out the blows, discrepancies emerged during the investigation between the versions of the victim and the accused, mainly on who took out his knife first and who carried out the blows first.
The investigation, which had been opened under the charge of attempted murder, was reclassified as intentional violence with a weapon followed by infirmity.
But this Tuesday at the hearing, the expert indicated that there was no permanent disability... The verdict is expected this Wednesday.