Five years after the tragic death of Cédric Chouviat, three police officers will be tried for manslaughter. A decision that Doria Chouviat, his widow, firmly denounces, relays Le Parisien.
On January 3, 2020, Cédric Chouviat, a scooter deliveryman, was arrested in Paris. Pinned to the ground, motorcycle helmet still on his head, he had expressed nine times in thirteen seconds that he could no longer breathe before feeling unwell. Hospitalized, this 42-year-old father died two days later.
The three police officers involved in this arrest will be tried for “manslaughter“, reports Le Parisien. A decision which results from the order of the investigating judges. They noted “inappropriate, negligent and reckless behavior” on the part of the police which led to fatal asphyxiation. A fourth police officer escapes the trial, having been placed under the status of assisted witness.
A widow torn between hope and indignation
Doria Chouviat, his widow, expressed on Franceinfo her mixed feelings about the announcement of the trial. “Justice has done its job in the sense that a thorough investigation was carried out, with irrefutable evidence,” she recognized, welcoming the clarity of the judicial conclusions.
However, she deplores the qualification “of manslaughter“withholding which she considers to be a minimization of the facts.” Cédric died following intentional, disproportionate and illegitimate violence. The videos, the testimonies, and the medical expertise confirm it,” she assures with conviction.
The pain is also rekindled by the current situation of the police officers concerned. “My husband’s murderer is the station chief. That’s what’s scary. This man should no longer be part of the police,” she denounced. , regretting the absence of suspension of the officials involved.
The Chouviat affair finds international resonance, in particular because of the similarities with the death of George Floyd. Both events share the terrible detail of the final words: “I'm suffocating.” For Doria Chouviat, this trial represents a crucial opportunity. “We want to denounce what must be denounced and hold the accused accountable,” she declared, emphasizing the importance of an exemplary verdict.
