The litany of the calling of witnesses crumbles.
The process takes time, so many of them are cited for this trial of the November 13 attacks which reached its third day this Friday.
Police officers especially but also relatives of the 14 accused present in the room (the 6 others appear by default).
Even if the anonymity of the investigators - a practice in force for several years in France - makes the defense tick, the sequence goes smoothly.
Until the announcement of the deposition of a certain "Hollande François", scheduled for November.
The quote from the former head of state provokes the first pass of arms between the defense and the civil parties.
"He will be able to answer questions on several themes"
Me Raphaël Kempf, one of Yassine Atar's lawyers, gets up. "It is not clear what is the usefulness of this hearing for the manifestation of the truth," he is astonished. Could the civil party lawyers explain to us why we need to hear from this individual? "This time, it is the phlegmatic and deadpan President Jean-Louis Périès to pout:" It is a person like any other, admits the magistrate, but you could use another term than
individual
. "
One of the lawyers of the Life for Paris association, at the origin of the quote from the former president, is justified.
"He was at the scene of the attacks and he will be able to answer questions on several themes," he announces.
Not enough to satisfy Me Christian Saint-Palais, Yassine Atar's second lawyer.
The penalist appeals to the Code of Criminal Procedure and its article 331 which provides that witnesses express themselves "on the facts and the personality of the accused".
He therefore does not see what the former president could say about it.
"And we understood that time will be running out for us," he adds.
Me Helena Christidis, the lawyer for many civil parties, flies to the aid of her colleague from Life for Paris.
"There is also everything that took place before the facts," she explains.
François Hollande's hearing will take place.
To read also “Nobody speaks.
What to say ?"
: François Hollande tells, hour by hour, his night of November 13
The announcement of the deposition of George Fenech, who chaired the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the attacks, provokes a new contest.
It is here again Me Saint-Palais who carries the iron, always on the same theme.
“He is out of place in this Assize Court.
He has just written a book which will undoubtedly be very useful to read, but we will not receive all the people who publish a book at the time of a trial, ”the lawyer quipped.
On the bench of the civil parties, Me Olivier Morice takes the microphone. “The injured and the families who have lost a loved one are waiting for questions to be asked of all those who have an explanation to provide. If it displeases the defense that we take time for that, I deeply regret it, ”says the lawyer. Jean-Louis Périès closes the discussions. But despite everything, let his feelings emerge. “We are in a criminal trial and we are here to examine the charges against the accused. Point. "