“I am Pierre Palmade and I was born on March 23, 1968.” Black suit and stare into space before the start of his trial, surrounded by his two lawyers, the artist was invited by the criminal court of Melun (Seine- et-Marne), where he is being tried this Wednesday for involuntary injuries, to decline his identity.
These are his first words of the day in this trial where he will have to explain the accident he caused on February 10, 2023 at the end of the day in Villiers-en-Bière, seriously injuring the occupants of the car: Yuksel Yakut at the wheel, her son Devrim in the back and her sister-in-law Mila, front passenger, causing the loss of the baby she was expecting.
Except for little Devrim, all the victims and civil parties are at the hearing this Wednesday. Pierre Palmade arrived at the court around 7:45 a.m., just as day was breaking. By taxi with his lawyer Me Céline Lasek, he entered the building from the rear, protected by the police, avoiding the forest of media already present at that time.
Attempt to reclassify the case as aggravated manslaughter
At the start of the hearing, Me Mourad Battikh, the lawyer for the victims and most of the civil parties, spoke. Firstly to ask for Mila's anonymity to be respected, both in photos and in terms of her last name. Then he worked to try to reclassify the case as aggravated manslaughter, by requesting the voluntary appearance of the comedian for these facts in respect of which he benefited from a dismissal of the case during the investigation.
“You cannot ask him to appear for facts which have benefited from a dismissal of charges,” Me Céline Lasek rightly argued. He agreed. I'm opposed to it and we can't ask him. » Not of the same opinion, Pascal Couvignou, the president of the court, calls the artist to the stand and asks him the question. “Pierre Palmade, do you accept this? » he asks. “No,” replies the defendant.
“We know today that this child was viable”
Mr. Battikh had, however, started his entire speech on the subject, as well as on the legal recognition of the fetus. “Mila was six months pregnant at the time of the accident which led to the death of her baby,” indicates the lawyer for the civil parties. Solin was his name. We now know that this child was viable. There is a causal link between the accident and his death. Everyone agrees to question jurisprudence, even Pierre Palmade, who says I killed a baby or even I am responsible for the death of a baby. This file is an opportunity to make the law better, smarter, more in line with the expectations of our society. »
Dismissing any connection with a debate on voluntary termination of pregnancy, Me Mourad Battikh continued. “If there had been a cesarean section that day (of the accident)the child would have been born alive and viable (sic). Be aware that French law protects animals better than the unborn child. And even the unborn offspring of animals, such as the eggs of certain birds. It's astonishing! »
He also supported all civil status acts carried out. “Solin’s death was noted on a birth certificate, on a death certificate. A grave was erected. That's a lot of civil status documents for someone who is nothing. The fetus is not protected from the actions of a third party. It's truly scandalous. I solemnly request that the jurisprudence evolve. »
