23 years of criminal imprisonment: “The chronology of a predicted death”, denounces the attorney general

“You are going to judge one of the 122 victims of femicide in the year 2021,” warns the attorney general before the jurors of the Haute-Garonne Assize Court. Scary figure. From his box, the accused, Jerry Bilou, maintains his black gaze. Despite the multiple questions, repeated during the three days of debate, this 34-year-old Kanak stayed away from details. The ordeal of Willimelle, his companion who died under his blows on the night of September 18 to 19, 2021 in Toulouse, retains its share of mystery.

For the victim's mother and two sisters, who came specially from New Caledonia, this pain of not knowing adds to the weight of absence. “This trial was to help people come to terms with insurmountable grief,” warn Messrs Céline Joannopoulos and Emilie Roque, the lawyers of this family of remarkable dignity. “That night of September 18 to 19, 2021, in Toulouse, he not only killed Willimelle but also deeply marked his sisters, his aunts, his children,” adds Me Joannopoulos.

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Me Cécile Brandely, for the father of her first son, Me Malika Chmani for the three children, also carry this incomprehension and these traumas which are impossible to erase. The advice of the victims who humanize, in front of the three attentive women and three men of the jury, the pain of this family which is rooted in the Caillou, 17,000 km from the Metropolis.

“A black hole, the clan of cowards”

These lawyers denounce the influence, frozen, in particular, in the daily violence suffered by Willimelle. “She protected you out of love. You abused, betrayed her trust and hit, hit, and hit again,” denounces the attorney general. Olivier Janson. He reproaches the accused: “Your answers, their inconsistencies up to the black hole called to the rescue which brings you back into the clan of cowards”.

“You gradually prevented Willimelle from living. You suffocated her before unleashing yourself.” The magistrate rules out the hypothesis of blows without the intention to kill. “On the contrary, this file is the chronicle of a death foretold!” He requires 25 years of criminal imprisonment and 3 years suspended sentence against the other accused whose cowardice he denounces; Witness to the violence, he left the apartment the night of the tragedy without raising the alarm.

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Me Floriane Peyraud defends this 31-year-old soldier, also from Nouméa “who lives with his mistakes and his guilt”. A man who was able to find in the army “an important and suitable framework”, admits the accusation. “He must be able to continue his contract,” insists his lawyer.

“Reason and hope” asks the defense

Me Martin Vatinel has accompanied Jerry Billou since his indictment. “If I hadn’t been designated, he would have faced his guilt alone!” Argument to rule out “so-called premeditated and calculated lies”. “Yes, he is responsible. But what shows that he wanted to kill? Nothing.”

The defense lawyer demands “reason” from the jurors, insisting on Jerry Bilou's attitudes between his island and Toulouse, between his first partner and Willimelle. He attributes the murderer's “irrational” behavior on the morning of the tragedy “to stress” and asks the jurors for “hope.”

After 5 hours of deliberation, Jerry Bilou was sentenced Friday evening to 23 years of criminal imprisonment and 5 years of socio-judicial supervision. Wacoco, his friend, gets a 2-year suspended prison sentence.