Death of Steve: the Rennes prosecutor's office announces the end of the investigation

Europe 1 with AFP 10:35 p.m., March 07, 2022

The Rennes prosecutor's office announced on Monday the end of the investigation of the file Steve Maia Caniço, who died in 2019 during a controversial police operation during the Fête de la Musique in Nantes, in which a former prefect is indicted for "homicide involuntary".

"On March 7, 2022, the investigating magistrate, considering that the information seems to him to be over, communicated the file to the public prosecutor of Rennes so that he could take his requisitions" for a referral or not to a court, indicated prosecutor Philippe Astruc in a press release.

Appeals examined in July

In this case, Philippe Astruc recalls that the magistrate in charge of the investigation "indicted for manslaughter" three people who were in office at the time of the events: the police commissioner in charge of the device, the sub-prefect and chief of staff to the prefect of Loire-Atlantique, as well as the prefect Claude d'Harcourt.

The prosecutor also indicates that "the prefect and the sub-prefect indicted have appealed to the investigating chamber of the Rennes Court of Appeal by which they contest their indictment and request the granting of the assisted witness status".

These appeals should be examined in July, adds the magistrate.

"The Rennes prosecutor's office will take its requisitions quickly after the deliberation of the investigating chamber", indicates the press release.

The final decision on whether to hold a trial will rest with the investigating judge in charge of the case.

The mayor of Nantes placed under the status of "assisted witness"

In this case, the Deputy Departmental Director of Public Security (DDSP) in office at the time of the events, was placed under the status of "assisted witness" in July, as were the city of Nantes and its mayor Johanna Rolland, l deputy mayor in charge of security at the time of the events, and the Métropole.

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

This 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, more than a month later. late July 29.

The police intervention, during which tear gas was fired and several other people fell into the water, took place in several phases between 4:24 a.m. and 4:52 a.m.

The police claimed to have suffered projectile jets and had responded by firing 33 tear gas canisters, 12 defense bullets (LBD) and 10 disencirclement grenades, according to a report by the General Administration Inspectorate (IGA), which had criticized "a lack of discernment" on the part of the commissioner.

Participants in the sound system on the banks of the Loire had reported being blinded by a cloud of tear gas.