The General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN), in charge of the investigation into the death in January of Cédric Chouviat during a stormy road check, considers that one of the police officers practiced a "rear choke" on the delivery man shortly before his asphyxiation, according to elements known to AFP on Wednesday.
In a briefing note on the investigation, dated June 17 and which was revealed on Tuesday by Liberation and Mediapart , IGPN investigators believe that "after Cédric Chouviat repeatedly called him a 'puppet' and announced his intention to file a complaint against him, "the team leader" had brought him to the ground mainly through a rear choke, according to the sources ".
Three police officers indicted for manslaughter
This police officer was indicted for "manslaughter" like two other members of the crew, while a policewoman was placed under the intermediate status of assisted witness.
Cédric Chouviat, a 42-year-old delivery man, felt unwell during this police check on January 3 near the Eiffel Tower, during which he was pinned to the ground with his helmet on his head. Taken in critical condition to hospital, he died on January 5. According to the first elements of the autopsy unveiled by the Paris prosecutor's office, the doctors found in this man asphyxiation with "fracture of the larynx" as well as "a previous cardiovascular state". A judicial investigation has been opened.
Cédric Chouviat has said "I'm suffocating" on several occasions
As this summary reminds us, very quickly after the start of his arrest, Cédric Chouviat repeatedly affirmed "I am suffocating" - words that the police say they did not hear. However, the IGPN noted that it was only "at the end of a relatively long period of hesitation", after "the awareness of the discomfort of Cédric Chouviat", that the police officers "called for help. , detached and decluttering the injured, then implemented a cardiac massage for his benefit ". Regarding this cardiac massage, the delay is estimated at three minutes.
In their initial report of intervention, dated the day of the events and signed by the policewoman on behalf of the four members of the crew, the police officers did not mention this "rear strangulation". They also wrote that after having "noticed" that Cédric Chouviat's face had turned "blue", they "immediately" removed the handcuffs, his helmet and provided first aid.