Murder of Thomas at Crépol: 11 defendants committed to trial with aggravating circumstance of anti-white racism
Eleven defendants in the case of the death of Thomas Perotto at Crépol will be tried by a juvenile assize court, with the aggravating circumstance of racism towards "the white race and the French nation".
Crépol case: commitment to trial with aggravating circumstance of anti-white racism upheld
Investigating judges have ordered eleven defendants to stand trial before a juvenile assize court in the case of the murder of Thomas Perotto, killed at Crépol (Drôme) in the night of 18 to 19 November 2023, franceinfo.fr reported on Friday 25 September. The decision notably upholds the aggravating circumstance of racism towards "the white race and the French nation" — a qualification that the Valence public prosecutor's office had contested in its final submissions delivered on 17 August.
Charges upheld by the committal order
According to the committal order to which franceinfo.fr had access, the investigating magistrates order that the eleven defendants be tried for murder and attempted murder, for intentionally causing the death of Thomas Perotto and attempting to kill three other persons. The aggravating circumstance concerns statements made against "the white race and the French nation" during the incident. A twelfth suspect is committed for trial on charges of violence. All retain the possibility of appealing against this committal order.
According to Le Monde, cited by franceinfo.fr, the investigating judges consider that there is "consistency among witness accounts as to the existence of discriminatory remarks". The magistrates had received observations from certain civil parties before upholding this qualification, finding that the facts had been committed because of the victim's true or alleged belonging "to a purported race, ethnicity, nation or specific religion, in this case the white race and the French nation".
The public prosecutor had ruled out the racist nature of the incident
The Valence public prosecutor's office took the opposite position in its final submissions of mid-August. The prosecutors considered that the testimony cited in support of the aggravating circumstance was "minority, sometimes imprecise or even contradictory, and insufficient" to characterise the charge. This divergence between the prosecution and investigating judges lies at the heart of criticisms raised by the defence.
Defence announces immediate appeal
"This committal order is a surprise and is incomprehensible", declared Friday Alain Fort, one of the defendants' lawyers, to ICI Drôme Ardèche. Fort objects in particular to the fact that the aggravating circumstance of racism was upheld: "It was the investigating magistrates themselves who initially ruled out this aggravating circumstance of racism at the opening of their investigation." According to him, "there is not a shred of new evidence to support this aggravating circumstance". "It is clear that we will appeal against this order, which appears to be wholly without foundation", he concluded.
Defence lawyers had moreover already requested the disqualification of the investigating judges and the quashing of the aggravating circumstance of "anti-white racism", according to franceinfo.fr.
Context: a fatal brawl at the winter ball
In the night of 18 to 19 November 2023, young people, some from the Monnaie district in Romans-sur-Isère, fought with a group of youths from Crépol following the village's "winter ball". In a confused context, knives were drawn. Four people were seriously wounded, including Thomas Perotto, a 16-year-old secondary school pupil and rugby enthusiast, who died during his transfer to hospital.
Following arrests, 14 young men were charged, all with murder and attempted murder in an organised group. None of them ever admitted to delivering the fatal blow. Last June, the public prosecutor's office had requested the commitment to an assize court of 11 of the accused for manslaughter and attempted manslaughter.
Source: Le Monde - Justice