Rachid Hami and his lawyer Me Le Mintier in the courtroom of the Rennes criminal court during the trial of the soldiers of Saint-Cyr.
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C. Allain / 20 Minutes
In October 2012, the officer cadet Jallal Hami had drowned during a workshop on “transmitting traditions” at the Saint-Cyr military school (Morbihan).
This Thursday, two cadets and a member of the hierarchy were sentenced to suspended prison terms for manslaughter.
Four other defendants were released.
A judgment which provoked the anger of the brother of the victim Rachid Hami, very critical of the judge.
He couldn't help himself.
As the court was about to withdraw, Rachid Hami rose to address Judge Kerhoas, who had just released four of the seven defendants tried for manslaughter after the death of his brother Jallal Hami.
“You betrayed my brother.
You disappointed me and you disappointed justice ”, launched the brother of the cadet, who died in October 2012 during a night“ bahutage ”exercise within the military school of Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan ( Morbihan).
This Thursday, the Rennes criminal court sentenced Marc Assier de Pompignan and Hugues Devolvé, two student officers, to six and eight months suspended prison sentence, and Hervé Wallerand, member of the hierarchy, to six months suspended prison sentence.
"Ridiculous sentences for a life", estimated Rachid Hami.
He may have said that "it was not anger but disappointment", the icy tone and the words used betrayed his feeling of injustice.
#Rennes "What stuns them is this exemption from registration in the criminal record".
The reaction of Me Le Mintier, lawyer of the family of Jallal Hami, after the suspended sentence of three soldiers of #SaintCyr and the release of four others.
@ 20Minutes pic.twitter.com/UpyOLgI4kT
- 20 Minutes Rennes (@ 20minutesrennes) January 14, 2021
In October 2012, his brother drowned during a workshop on "transmissions of traditions" at the Saint-Cyr school.
A first year student, he had to cross a pond where he had no foot in the middle of the night, with his rangers and five kilos of equipment on his back.
On the sides of the water point, spotlights lit up the stage, set to music to the rhythm
of Wagner's
La Valkyrie
and other film music.
In difficulty in this water at 9 degrees like many of his comrades, the brilliant student had drowned, without any of the second year students who organized the workshop realizing it.
His disappearance was not reported until an hour later.
"An inaudible decision for the family"
To justify his decision, the judge Alain Kerhoas specified that justice had to recognize "a serious fault" to enter the process of conviction.
Over the 46 pages of judgment, the magistrates considered that only the "father system" and the "colonel of the guards", numbers 1 and 2 of the second battalion, and their commander were guilty of this manslaughter.
A conviction which will not be mentioned in the criminal records of the three accused, allowing them to pursue their military careers.
Only Marc Assier de Pompignan is still engaged in the army.
"I did not know that my brother's death deserved to be erased from the criminal records of those who caused his death."
"Four releases for seven defendants, it is a decision which is inaudible for the Hami family and which is in opposition to the three investigating magistrates who have succeeded in the case", added his lawyer Me Jean-Guillaume Le Mintier .
#Rennes "Today, they did not say the right".
The reaction of Rachid Hami, brother of Jallal Hami, after the conviction of three soldiers from Saint-Cyr and the release of four others.
Her brother drowned in 2012 #saintcyr pic.twitter.com/qivGYpBGRr
- 20 Minutes Rennes (@ 20minutesrennes) January 14, 2021
During the trial which took place in November, the prosecutor Philippe Astruc had requested three months to two years in prison suspended against six soldiers as well as the release of General Francis Chanson.
“It remains a human tragedy and we have heard the voice of sadness from Jallal Hami's brother.
But this fault was not characterized for General Chanson.
He did not deserve to be found guilty, ”said his counsel, Me William Pineau.
General Chanson was the only one of the seven defendants to be present in the courtroom this Thursday at the announcement of the deliberation.
If some are in external operation, others who left the army preferred not to appear.
"How can we speak of moral remorse when we do not even come to take our judgment?
», Annoys Rachid Hami.
The latter hopes that the prosecutor will appeal these convictions.
Society
Death of a pupil in Saint-Cyr: The story of the night of “bahutage” which cost Jallal Hami his life
Justice
"In Saint-Cyr, nothing happens like elsewhere" ... The school hierarchy on the grill during the drowning trial of an officer cadet
Manslaughter
Drowning
Hazing
Military
Reindeer
Army
Justice