The death of Steve Maia Caniço clearly originated from the police operation orchestrated on June 22, 2019, shortly after 4 a.m., to stop the music from the last sound systems installed on Quai Wilson in Nantes, on the occasion of the Fête de la Musique.
In its judgment delivered on Friday, September 20, the Rennes criminal court concluded that there was“a link between the use of tear gas by the police and the fall of Steve Maia Caniço into the Loire, and therefore with his death by drowning”as reported by Marianne Gil, president of the court.
The use of tear gas has “contributed to creating the situation that led to the death of Steve Maia Caniço”supports Mme Gil. But this action “does not constitute the direct and exclusive cause of death”. And Commissioner Grégoire Chassaing, who led the controversial intervention, did not “not committed any fault”Based on this analysis, the criminal court acquitted the person concerned of the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
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On the night of the tragedy, the atmosphere flared up in a flash when a DJ started the music again at the sound-off time. The police quickly came under fire from a hail of projectiles and responded with a deluge of tear gas grenades, causing panic among the party-goers. The Wilson Quay, the site of the techno party, had no security barriers at the time. At 4:33 a.m., Steve Maia Caniço, a 24-year-old after-school activity leader, fell into the river.
“Principle sentence” requested by the prosecution
On June 13, the public prosecutor Philippe Astruc and his deputy, Tanguy Courroye, had asked the court to enter into a conviction process and requested “a punishment of principle” against Commissioner Grégoire Chassaing. At the time of the fateful fall, the use of weapons by the personnel placed under the orders of the police commissioner was not “neither absolutely necessary nor strictly proportionate”the deputy prosecutor had stated, also considering that“a retreat was possible”.
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The mission to stop the music at 4 a.m. was written “on the Commissioner’s roadmap”signed by his hierarchy, asserts President Marianne Gil. To achieve this objective, Mr. Chassaing is “We went to see the sound wall DJs early in the evening to warn them”. The exchanges, at this moment, were “cordial”.
The clashes that broke out when the police returned have no justification, the court explains. The police officers, who were not wearing helmets, explained “having used tear gas grenades not to ensure a law enforcement mission, but in self-defense”.
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