Dany Leprince case: conviction overturned and new trial ordered, 32 years after quadruple murder in Sarthe
The Court of Review has overturned the life sentence of Dany Leprince and ordered a new trial. The 69-year-old man spent 18 years in prison for a quadruple homicide committed in 1994.
Dany Leprince case: conviction overturned and new trial ordered, 32 years after quadruple murder in Sarthe
Dany Leprince, 69, has had his life sentence overturned by the Court of Review on 2 July 2026. This decision, made after fifteen years of unsuccessful attempts, opens the way to a new trial for the man who has always denied being the author of a quadruple homicide in Sarthe in 1994, according to TF1 Info.
In 1994, the bodies of his brother, sister-in-law and their two young daughters were discovered in their house, victims of stabbing. The only surviving witness, the youngest child aged two and a half, was found alive. The prosecution had relied on statements from the man's wife and eldest daughter.
Convicted in 1997 by the Sarthe assize court, he did not then have the possibility to appeal, as the law only allowed this from 2001 onwards. A first request for review was rejected in 2011.
The magistrates now believe that new facts have emerged, casting doubt on the defendant's guilt. The statements of the surviving child are now considered to have possibly been influenced. The statements of the former partner, which changed over time, are also being questioned.
At the time of the announcement, he embraced his wife, visibly moved. "It is extraordinary to achieve this review," he declared, while paying tribute to his deceased family.
This is the thirteenth time a criminal sentence has been overturned in France. Never before, however, had a convicted person served such a long sentence: 18 years behind bars. His lawyer, Olivier Morice, describes the decision as an "act of justice" and believes that "the house of cards that made up the accusation completely collapses".
The case has been referred to the Angers assize court. The lawyer hopes for a swift trial, as some witnesses are deceased or very elderly. Historically, all reviewed convicts have subsequently been acquitted.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)