• The Advocate General demanded thirty years in prison against Mohamed Kamel, who had tried to cut the throat of the director Alain Françon.

  • The second day of the trial was marked by the testimony of the victim, a recognized theater man whose career was crowned with three Molière awards, chosen at random from the street by his attacker.

  • More than the pain, the artist regrets having "lost what 45 years of theater (him) have taught: trust, respect for others".

    "Becoming suspicious is something I don't like," he breathes.

The Advocate General demanded a sentence of thirty years of criminal imprisonment, accompanied by a "safety period of 15 or 20 years" and a socio-judicial follow-up with an order for care against Mohamed Kamel.

This 33-year-old Algerian, who arrived in France at the age of 11, tried on March 17, 2021 to kill the author and director Alain Françon.

Before the indictment, Alain Françon, 77, recounted "the totally meaningless act" of which he was the victim in the historic center of Montpellier.

This great lover of Chekhov, whose prolific career has been rewarded with three Molières, was taking advantage of the good weather to take a walk, before joining the conservatory of dramatic arts where he was leading a training course, when he was jostled by a stranger coming from behind.

Saved thanks to the intervention of three people

But he didn't realize he was badly injured, he says, referring to the "remarkable people" who came to his aid when he finally collapsed with a deep gash in his throat. fifteen centimeters.

Another fled seeing the blood spurting.

This "would have been quickly fatal without the first aid" provided by passers-by and two employees of a pharmacy, explained the medical examiner who examined him that day, after his operation.

“Nothing else happened,” insisted Alain Françon, denying having made the slightest offensive remark.

While in police custody, Mohamed Kamel claimed that the director had "looked badly" at him.

More than the pain, the artist regrets having "lost what 45 years of theater (him) have taught: trust, respect for others".

"Becoming suspicious is something I don't like," he breathes.

During the two weeks following the attack, until the arrest of the suspect, he "remade the film" of his life, wondering who he had been able to "vex or humiliate to this point" to deserve this.

For Mohamed Kamel, "worse people" are in prison

If Mohamed Kamel admitted to having hit "an old man", who would have "looked at him badly", he has always denied having intended to kill him.

At the trial, he said he was "sorry", then he mentioned "an accident", underlined that his victim "did not die", that "worse people" were not in prison... A few minutes before the attack, this Montpellier living on expedients between two passages in prison had been turned back from the prefecture of Hérault, where he had not been able to file an application for renewal of his residence permit, for lack of an appointment.

The attack, "it's a blind and vengeful response to a randomly designated scapegoat victim," said a psychiatric expert.

Although he no longer dared to travel by metro and fearing the "shadows behind his back", Alain Françon was able to resume rehearsals after a few weeks and find his friends, actors, technicians and managers.

“The fraternity of the theater was my greatest therapy,” he concludes.

The verdict is expected on Wednesday.

Justice

Montpellier: The man accused of having tried to cut the throat of the director Alain Françon at the assizes

Miscellaneous facts

Montpellier: The suspect arrested on Thursday admitted to being the author of the blow to Alain Françon

  • Molieres

  • Montpellier

  • Occitania

  • Languedoc Roussillon

  • assize court

  • Justice