The television presenter, dressed in a midnight blue suit and a white T-shirt, is appearing in particular for “habitual physical and/or psychological violence by a partner” between 2018 and 2022 against a former partner, Amandine. Stéphane Plaza faces ten years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros.
His former partner accuses him of strangulation
During the investigation, Amandine recounted having suffered four episodes of violence and humiliation. In the spring of 2022, she describes a scene where Stéphane Plaza twisted the fingers of one hand. An x-ray reveals two dislocations and a bone tear. She also assures that he has “strangled” with his forearm.
After this episode, Stéphane Plaza sent him several messages in a tone that was sometimes defensive, sometimes sorry. “You push me to the limit, and I lose control, that’s the reality. The most violent man in the world. I kiss you tenderly“, he wrote to her in particular.
“With this text, one might think that you admit to having committed violence“, the president pointed out to him during the hearing. “It’s taken out of context“, assures Stéphane Plaza. “I take her hands and spread them, but I can’t control my strength because I’m dyspraxic and clumsy (…) and I don’t see that she’s in pain“, he insists, denying having strangled her.
“There’s a force that shouldn’t have been, it’s an unfortunate incident“, he insists. “I have injured many people, even on film sets. I myself could have accidentally injured myself“.
“I brought you a woman, I’m not kidding, take her”
Among the mistreatment denounced, Amandine described a stay in Morocco, where Stéphane Plaza, her companion and employer, allegedly humiliated her near a Moroccan personality by telling her: “I brought you a woman, I’m not kidding, take her, it’s your gift“.
A “joke“, sweeps Stéphane Plaza this Thursday.”With hindsight and mentalities that have changed, maybe I wouldn’t do it again“. “I didn’t put her down, I took her everywhere!“, he continued. “For me, woman is the most beautiful thing“.
“He oscillated: he took care of me, but that could change in 48 hours and everything falls apart“, testified Amandine, who continues to live in “fear“.
– “Why didn’t you stop this relationship? It lasted five years“, asks the president.
-– “I was in love, I worked for him, we lived in his apartment. And there were better times. So I had a hard time getting out of all that.”.
Intimate images of the complainant included in the file
Stéphane Plaza’s lawyers have included in the file intimate videos of Amandine, which she sent to Stéphane Plaza after their altercations. Proof, according to her defense, that she was not subjected to violence. The defense of Stéphane Plaza is “revenge porn and it’s illegal“, was outraged by Amandine’s lawyer, Me Benjamin Chouai.
The other ex, Paola, who accuses Stéphane Plaza of psychological violence, will be heard after Amandine. The two women were granted total incapacity for work (ITT) of more than eight days for this recurring violence.
“Talking about four, five facts in several years of relationships… I would have divorced my wife a long time ago if I had to be sued every time I get a little angry“, had criticized Stéphane Plaza’s lawyer, Carlo Alberto Brusa, earlier in the morning.
The lawyer denounces an incriminating investigation
He pleaded two nullities before the debates, denouncing an investigation “dependent“. A “waste of time“regrettable for the prosecutor.”It is not worthy, even if it is a sadly banal case, it is not for the civil parties present“.
The affair began in September 2023, with the publication by Mediapart of the testimonies of three former partners. The prosecution then opened an investigation.
For his part, Stéphane Plaza filed a complaint with the prosecution for harassment and cyberharassment, against these women who accuse him of violence. This complaint was dismissed on January 7 for “unknown author“, according to the public prosecutor. But the defense filed another complaint to obtain referral to an investigating judge.
