- Steve Maia Caniço was 24 years old. Passionate about techno music, he worked as an extracurricular animator in a school in the Nantes suburbs.
- His body was found on July 29 in the Loire.
- Three judicial inquiries have been opened since this Fête de la Musique.
It was a year ago. At least twelve people who participated in a techno evening organized on the evening of the Fête de la Musique in Nantes fell in the Loire following a muscular police intervention. All will manage to go back up to the shore except Steve Maia Caniço, 24-year extracurricular animator from the Nantes conurbation, whose relatives remained without news for more than a month. His body will finally be found on July 29 in the river, not far from the place of his disappearance. This Sunday, June 21, 2020, two marches are announced in Nantes to pay tribute to the young man and to demand "justice". Where is the court file today?
Judicial information against X for "manslaughter" had been opened in early August by an investigating judge. The file was transferred in September to Rennes at the request of Nantes judges for the sake of "impartiality". The investigation has continued secretly ever since. No indictment has yet been pronounced. "The investigations never advance quickly enough for the victims but we are within a reasonable time given the complexity of the case," said Cécile de Oliveira, lawyer for the family of Steve Maia Caniço.
Complaint by the police and complaint by the police
The latest technical expertise focuses, in particular, on the young man's mobile phone. The stakes are high since, in the absence of witnesses having seen it fall into the water, the geolocation of the aircraft could give precious information on the unfolding of the facts. "If it is established that at the time of the shooting of tear gas grenades, my brother was very close to the river, then it will be difficult to dispute the existence of a causal link between the intervention of the police and the fall that led to his death, ”said the young man's sister, interviewed by Le Monde. "My clients will be attentive to all the elements", reacts Cécile de Oliveira, who does not rule out demanding, when the time comes, a "legal qualification of the criminal facts [intentional violence resulting in death without intention to give it] rather than tort [manslaughter] ”.
In parallel, two new judicial information have recently been opened by the Rennes prosecution. One concerns the collective complaint for “involuntary injuries, failure to assist a person in danger and endangering the life of others” filed by 89 participants in the techno party. The other relates to “willful violence with a gun in a meeting and against a person holding public authority” linked to the throwing of projectiles received by the police. Ten police officers injured on the evening of the Fête de la musique filed a complaint.
“Sloppy” IGPN Report, Transferred Commissioner
Two administrative investigation reports had also been opened in 2019. One from the IGPN, the police force, the summary of which was released on July 30. The intervention of the police "was justified and did not appear disproportionate", she concluded then. Before adding: "There can be no link between the police force and the disappearance of Steve Maia Caniço". "This report was really sloppy and aimed at removing the responsibility of the police under conditions that did not appear serious, considers Cécile de Oliveira. It had not been signed by the director of the IGPN. "
The General Inspectorate of Administration (IGA) also issued a report on September 13 on the handling of events by the public authorities. He spoke of a police intervention which had taken place "in the context of self-defense" but also pointed to a "lack of discernment". "The opportunity to intervene in this way on a port right of way giving direct access to the Loire, during a usual festive event and at a time when the lucidity of certain teufeurs was undoubtedly altered, can be questioned", argued the IGA. That same day, the Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner, announced the transfer of Commissioner Chassaing, in charge of operations.
"We have been confronted from the start with a hypermediatisation of this tragic story, that adds to the family's difficulty," observes lawyer Cécile de Oliveira. It is also an issue in which there will, I think, be significant means developed to be able to deal with this complexity of investigation. "
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Disappearance of Steve in Nantes: A white march a year after the drama will take place on Sunday
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Nantes: Ransacked in February, the fresco in tribute to Steve Maia Caniço is restored
- IGPN
- Police
- Justice
- Steve Maia Caniço
- Nantes