Death of Nahel: Court of Cassation reopens path to trial
France's highest court has quashed the reclassification of the facts, allowing renewed prosecution for voluntary manslaughter against the police officer who fired the shot.
Death of Nahel: Court of Cassation reopens path to trial
The Court of Cassation has issued a judgment that gives fresh impetus to the Nahel Merzouk case. The supreme court has quashed the decision of the Versailles court of appeal, which had reclassified the facts, thereby preventing any prosecution of the police officer who shot the seventeen-year-old teenager in June 2023 in Nanterre, according to La Provence.
The incident took place on 27 June 2023. The young man was driving a yellow Mercedes AMG when he was stopped by two police officers at a red light. The officer in question opened fire at close range as the vehicle was pulling away, fatally striking the driver in the chest.
The tragedy triggered riots in numerous French municipalities. The police officer had been placed under formal investigation for voluntary manslaughter and remanded in custody. He was subsequently released under judicial supervision.
At first instance, the investigating judge had issued a ruling of no grounds for prosecution, considering that the officer had acted in self-defence. This decision had been upheld by the appellate chamber of the Versailles court of appeal, which had reclassified the facts as involuntary manslaughter. However, this offence is subject to a statute of limitations, which had brought all proceedings to an end.
The Court of Cassation has now quashed this reclassification, which allows renewed prosecution for voluntary manslaughter. The file will be transmitted to another court of appeal for fresh examination.
Source: Google News LU FR