The Loire-Atlantique prefect in office at the time of the death in 2019 of Steve Maia Caniço in Nantes, during a controversial police operation on the occasion of the Music Festival, was indicted for "manslaughter" , said Thursday evening the prosecutor of Rennes, Philippe Astruc.

Coming after those of several other protagonists in this case heard since the summer, the hearing of the prefect Claude d'Harcourt was expected in October.

"Subject to requests for additional acts, interrogations or confrontations which would be necessary, the end of the investigation could take place at the end of the year 2021 or the beginning of 2022 before the Rennes public prosecutor's office is invited to take its requisitions (in a period of three months after the end of the investigation) on a referral or not of the persons implicated before the criminal court ”, specifies the press release from the prosecution.

Local authorities under the status of assisted witness

"The sub-prefect and chief of staff of the prefect of Loire-Atlantique at the time of the facts", as well as "the police commissioner in charge of the device at the time of the facts" had also been indicted for manslaughter in July, in following the death of this young man of 24, who fell in the Loire "during the intervention of the national police", in the words of Philippe Astruc. The PS mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland, and his former deputy for security and public tranquility were placed in September under the status of assisted witness, as well as, in July, “the DDSP (Departmental Director of Public Security, Editor's note) deputy in post at the time of the facts ”.

The city and the metropolis of Nantes, of which Johanna Rolland is president, were placed in September under the status of witness assisted as legal persons.

The assisted witness is a person implicated in a criminal case.

It is an intermediate status between that of the witness and that of the accused.

Steve Maia Caniço, extracurricular animator, had disappeared after a police operation intended to put an end to an electro evening on the banks of the Loire on the night of June 21 to 22, 2019. His body had been found in the river for more than a month more late July 29.

Nantes

The mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland, placed under the status of assisted witness in the Steve Maia Caniço case

Nantes

The fresco in homage to Steve Maia Caniço covered in black, a new painting "in keeping with the family"

  • Nantes

  • Manslaughter

  • Justice

  • Investigation

  • Prefect

  • Indictment

  • Steve Maia Caniço