He is a man whom psychiatrists and judges in the North know by heart. Described as dangerous, schizophrenic, and whose last appearance in court, in November 2019, illustrates the unstable temper. Annoyed by the snoring of his fellow prisoner in Lille-Sequedin prison, he had scalded him with a pan of water. The victim presented himself at the bar with a burn in the thigh, as well as bruises all over his body and with a swollen face ...
One more episode in the violence deployed by Hocine H. for years. Sentenced to three years in prison for having beaten his partner in June 2018, the 33-year-old man has just been released on parole, we learned from concordant sources. A "forced release", which is "effective since April 20," confirms the Lille prosecutor's office. However, Hocine H. is still under investigation ... for murder of a spouse. That of another of her companions, Sandra Mazingue, severely beaten in May 2015 in Hazebrouck. A crime punishable by life imprisonment.
Justice thus seems to have great difficulty in keeping Hocine H. behind bars. On May 1, 2015, Sandra Mazingue was found dead. The autopsy reveals "fractures of the four limbs, the sternum and various lesions", especially on the sexual organs, notes a summary of the investigation that the Parisian was able to consult.
Bereaved family has been on trial for five years
Very quickly, the eyes turn to Hocine H., his companion, already condemned for domestic violence. The victim's son explains that he saw him run away from his mother on the day of the murder. The suspect is picked up the same evening by a crew from the Bac. In police custody, he admits having put Sandra Mazingue "slaps to defend himself", but denies being responsible for his death. On May 4, 2015, Hocine H. was indicted for murder and placed in detention.
In October 2016, facing the investigating judge, he finally admitted to having hit Sandra "with a chair leg". However, he denies any homicidal intent. The file seems well put together, the seats are getting closer. A month later, however, Hocine H.'s lawyer, Me Damien Legrand, detected a procedural defect: the person who scanned the file before sending it to the Douai Court of Appeal forgot to scan two pages. The alleged murderer of the mother is released and placed under judicial supervision. A terrible shock for the family of Sandra Mazingue, who then fears a departure of the alleged murderer for Algeria, his country of origin. Five years later, the family is still awaiting trial.
“It's been five years, supports Me Blandine Lejeune, the lawyer of two sisters and the victim's son. A psychiatrist accepted the alteration of the discernment under investigation at the time of the facts. But he asked for a second opinion ”. Hocine H. would thus hope that there would be noted in him an abolition of discernment, which would make him criminally irresponsible. The expertise should take place after the Covid-19 epidemic. "For my clients, he simply plays the comedy," reports Me Lejeune.
Bites, burns and fractures
In November 2016, Hocine H. therefore leaves prison, and resumes his life with nothing. He again spent a few days in detention in 2017 for the theft of a headset, then met a young woman in her thirties. At the end of June 2018, while Hocine H. is under judicial supervision, she files a complaint, explains that she suffered a ordeal at the hands of her companion, whose past she did not know. The medical examiner's report mentions burns on the arm caused by a lighter, bites on the shoulder and fractures of the nose or cheekbones. She was also allegedly forced to prostitute herself one evening in Old Lille.
In November 2018, the Douai Court of Appeal sentenced Hocine H. to three years in prison for this domestic violence. He was again sentenced to 18 months in prison in November 2019 for the assault of his fellow prisoner. On this occasion, an expert psychiatrist had put forward the "paranoid schizophrenia" of Hocine H., described as "relatively dangerous".
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The news of his release, once again, was logically badly received by the sisters of Sandra Mazingue, who hoped to see her presumed murderer remain in prison until her assault trial. "It stirred them. They are bitter, even if they feared that this would happen, reacts Me Blandine Lejeune. How is it possible ? I do not know the conditions of this release, but all this would not have happened if the investigation into the murder of Sandra Mazingue had been faster. "
The wish of the relatives of Sandra Mazingue is now that the trial for the murder of Hocine H. takes place as quickly as possible, even "if it does not take the path, laments Me Lejeune. The education at Dunkirk drags on. Another disappointment, the penalist asked "three years ago" for an extension of the investigation to alleged acts of sexual abuse, on the basis of "sexual violence noted by the law clerk". In vain.
Contrary to the statements of Nicole Belloubet
Hocine H., still under investigation for murder, was released on Monday April 20. According to our information, he settled with his family in the North. If the release of Hocine H. does not fall directly within the framework of the orders taken by the Ministry of Justice due to the epidemic of Covid-19, this release of a man convicted multiple times for violence against women goes against the words of the Keeper of the Seals Nicole Belloubet.
"At the moment, all court decisions are linked to the health context," assures a source close to the case. It is very strange, but he was able to take advantage of it… ”The Minister of Justice reminded, however, on April 8, before the National Assembly, that prisoners condemned for terrorism or for domestic violence must not be released from prison before the end of their sentence.
Contacted, Me Damien Legrand, the lawyer for Hocine H., did not wish to comment.