On the night of April 29 to 30, 2022, leaving a bar in the city center of Saint-Hilaire du Harcouët (Manche), Jean-Marie Gontier lost his life. He was killed with a stab to the chest for a few words too many. The day after the tragedy, a man was imprisoned for murder and two accomplices indicted for concealment of evidence and failure to assist a person in danger.
After this event, the Roazhon Celtic Kop, of which the victim was an active member, paid tribute to him during a procession. Before Stade Rennes’ last match lost against Brest, he paid him thanks once again by holding up a banner in his memory (see our photo).
But what about procedure and instruction? At this time, no trial date has been set. “The main author recognizes the materiality of the faults, but he contests the intention of homicide and supports a form of provocation of the group of which Jean-Marie was a part”, indicates Maître Thierry Fillon, lawyer of the family in the columns of The Free Channel. “The other defendants are concerned by acts of complicity or relating to the disappearance of evidence (weapon hidden in a bush). »
In this case, relatives fear that Jean-Marie’s memory will be tarnished in front of the magistrates. “I don’t know what the defense will say about the victim’s personality. His behavior at the time of the events does not appear to me to be reproachable. » On the other hand, what will happen to the characterization used against the main suspect? Murder? Fatal blows? The lawyer leans towards the second hypothesis, according to our colleagues. Rennes supporters do not forget Jean-Marie, two years after the tragedy.
