Jérémy Davin’s lawyers announced Tuesday afternoon before the Liège Assize Court that their client has confessed to having committed the murder of Mbaye Wade. But the defense disputes the aggravating circumstances of this murder, such as premeditation and racist and homophobic motive.
Mbaye Wade, a 43-year-old from Liège, was killed by several stab wounds on the evening of September 17, 2020 at his home in the center of Liège. Jérémy Davin, a 28-year-old from Ansois, and Louis Bouton, a 23-year-old from Namur, are accused of his assassination, with the aggravating circumstance of racism and homophobia.
Jérémy Davin has confessed to having committed a murder on Mbaye Wade, said his lawyer, Me Michel De Grève. But the main accused disputes premeditation linked to this murder. He claims he showed no prior thoughts about his intention to kill. He had bought a knife the day before the incident, but his defense claims that he was not motivated by a criminal plan at the time of this purchase.
Light pressure
According to the defense, Jérémy Davin’s plan was to go to Mbaye Wade’s house to threaten him. He didn’t want to kill the victim. There is no objective evidence to demonstrate that there was any form of scouting at the scene. His behavior after the events would also demonstrate the panic that motivated him, in particular by leaving his blood and DNA behind. “If the murder is premeditated, we try to carry it out in the most efficient way, not by leaving as many traces,” maintained Mr. De Grève.
The lawyer claims that Jérémy Davin’s goal was to threaten Mbaye Wade by placing a knife under his neck. His project was to scare and exorcise his humiliation by making the other person experience it. The facts then got out of hand due to the victim’s reaction. “He admits to having applied light pressure on the knife, in the stress of the moment. His statements are compatible with the expert opinions,” says the defense.
Me Laura Pinilla Oblanca maintained that Jérémy Davin believes that harm had been inflicted on him during the preliminary scene in which he claims to have been raped, without having the possibility of struggling. The lawyer discusses the possible use of date rape drugs felt by Jérémy Davin. She believes that her client’s version is consistent.
Me De Grève contested the aggravating circumstance of racism and homophobia. According to him, there is no evidence that demonstrates that he is motivated by Nazi ideology. He wears tattoos that have Nazi symbolism, but Jérémy Davin knows nothing about the depths of Nazi ideology. Many witnesses announce that he is not racist. The defense requests not to consider the aggravating circumstance of racism and homophobia.
Jérémy Davin also confessed to a theft committed after the death of Mbaye Wade, but carried out without violence.
The pleadings of Louis Bouton’s defense lawyers will take place Wednesday morning.
