Murder of France Piechocki: “There are still so many outstanding questions”… A look back at a “testing” assize trial

A little after midnight, after nearly seven hours of deliberation, the Gers Assize Court delivered its verdict in the case of the murder of France Piechocki, on March 10, 2020 at Passage d’Agen. She sentenced Jean-François Nabarlas and Abraham Garcia to 25 and 20 years of criminal imprisonment for murder. A sentence less than three years compared to that of the first instance for the father, who once again took responsibility for homicide, and two years for the son. In March 2023 before the Lot-et-Garonne Assize Court, they were respectively sentenced to 28 and 22 years of criminal imprisonment.

Me Martial “scandalized” by the verdict

John Nabarlas, who had initially served 22 years in prison, was acquitted of the crime, but sentenced to 4 years in prison for the bank card fraud. In pre-trial detention since 2020 at Mont-de-Marsan prison, he was released on Friday December 19 in the early morning. A member of his family came to pick him up in front of the remand center. When the court decision was announced, Me Romain Lehmann, lawyer for John Narbarlas, was delighted that “the jury did not believe in the science fiction scenario, Star Wars type, of the attorney general”, while having “thoughts of Abraham Garcia, who is also innocent.”

At the end of the hearing, Me Edouard Martial, angry after the court decision concerning his client Abraham Garcia, announced that he was going to appeal to the Supreme Court (see opposite). He who had pleaded for the acquittal of the oldest of the brothers said he was “scandalized” by the verdict. “The debates started from the observation that the three had participated in the crime. And from the moment Jean-François Narbalas admitted to having used Abraham’s phone to take a photo of the victim’s turtle, my client’s participation could not be accepted. »
As for Me Katy Mira, who defends Jean-François Nabarlas, she assures that her client “accepts the decision concerning him”. On the other hand, “he is very saddened to see one of his sons sentenced once again,” adds the Mons lawyer.

The victim’s relatives “are psychologically worn out”

For their part, the victim’s family left the Auch courthouse without the answers they expected. “My clients still don’t understand,” says Me Marie Andolfatto, lawyer for the civil party. They only wanted explanations about what happened and why. But they didn’t have any. And it’s very complicated for them to accept.”

For four days, France Piechocki’s daughter and granddaughter followed the proceedings of a trial “which was particularly trying”, concedes Me Jean-François Renaudie, also counsel for the civil party. They had to once again immerse themselves in the horror of the facts. During the forensic doctors’ presentations, they once again found themselves faced with photos of their ancestor’s swollen face projected on the big screen. And without a technical problem, they would also have had to confront the autopsy photos, which were ultimately only visible to the jurors. The victim’s granddaughter had brought two of her children with her. Great-grandchildren, aged 16 and 14, who came to “defend” their great-grandmother. The youngest teen read a letter on the stand about missing a grandmother who was always there for them. A grandmother who raised their mother after her parents abandoned her and who helped their aunt take care of her disabled daughter on a daily basis. A courage praised by many protagonists in the case, such as the president and the defense lawyer Me Martial, who began his pleading by paying tribute to them. But after four days of debate, those close to France Piechocki “are psychologically worn out”.

“After so many years, there are still so many outstanding questions,” declares Me Jean-François Renaudie. And it’s hard for my clients. We can have as many trials as we want, will there ever be a truth? »