De this swerve at high speed in a stolen car, which caused the death of Antoine Alléno, he cannot specify anything. Hands clasped behind his back, in a black down jacket, Franky Deplechin, 27, speaks in a barely audible voice. He admits almost all the facts with which he is accused, but dodges, circumvents, claims partial amnesia when it comes to understanding his motivations, analyzing his actions, in order to unravel the thread of this murderous day. . The Paris Criminal Court met yesterday to judge him and two other people, Franck Arnt, 47, and Sniper Grateau, 20, respectively father-in-law and brother-in-law of Franky Deplechin. He is being prosecuted for aggravated manslaughter and violent theft. The other two are for theft in meetings.
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According to the defendant, a series of unfortunate coincidences, due to great intoxication, caused this accident. When he hits a first vehicle in the 7e rounding behind the wheel of the Audi RS6, he doesn't stop. For what ? asks the president of the 10e bedroom. “I don’t know,” he replies. When the passengers of the two-wheeler, Antoine Alléno and his colleague Anissa, are thrown to the ground following the impact, instead of rescuing them, Franky Deplechin hurries on, seemingly escaping. “I don’t remember anymore. I was a coward for having done that, for having left,” he regrets at the stand, wiping his forehead of his perspiration. To a plainclothes police officer who saw the scene that evening and chased him, he argued that he was running because he had to go to the hospital for his daughter. He repeats today: “I don't remember, I don't know, what I did is unforgivable. »
A drama that results from “a series of deliberate choices”
On May 8, 2022, Franky Deplechin got behind the wheel (without holding a valid license) of a powerful vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. With his foot on the accelerator pedal of the 600 horsepower sedan, Franky Deplechin, defended by Master Joseph Cohen-Sabban and Master Alexandre Simonin, allegedly deliberately violated the Highway Code on numerous occasions, ran five red lights, borrowed two wrong-way streets, putting nine people in danger before the collision with the scooter. For the lawyers of the Alléno family, the aim of this hearing is to demonstrate that this tragedy is not accidental, that on the contrary it results from “a series of deliberate choices”. The term “involuntary” seems unbearable to them to describe the facts. Since the death of his son, Yannick Alléno created the Antoine Alléno association. He intends to have the law recognize the offense of road homicide.
Franky Deplechin and Antoine Alléno were almost the same age at the time of the events. Everything opposes these young people who should never have crossed paths. This Sunday evening, Antoine Alléno, 24, finishes his shift around 11 p.m. He concocts succulent hamburgers at Père et fils burger, the restaurant he opened in 2021 on rue de Grenelle with his father, the multi-starred chef Yannick Alléno. Her best friend and colleague Anissa, who lives near Trocadéro, does not want to take the metro alone. Too dangerous. Antoine promised to take her home. “Anissa, when I offer you something, I mean it, come on!” » the young woman of Russian origin recalls in court, who asks him if it really doesn't bother him. On the way on a cityscoot, the two sing and happily talk about the next day's menu. They are happy.
After dropping off his friend, Antoine planned to return home to Puteaux where he lives with his partner. Here they are stopped at a red light on avenue Bosquet, at the corner of rue Cognacq-Jay, each with their helmet on their head. Next to them, a Skoda Octavia taxi waits. An Audi RS6, which is speeding at 120 km/h on a road limited to 30 km/h, hits the latter at the rear, deviates from its trajectory and hits the electric two-wheeler. Antoine and Anissa are ejected. Under the violence of the shock, the young man's helmet does not hold. He died shortly after the impact on the ground, following a major head trauma. His passenger suffered multiple bruises.
“It’s the alcohol that did all this”
When the president of the court questions Franky Deplechin about his plans that Sunday, the defendant does not admit any particular intention. He joins his father-in-law and his brother-in-law for lunch then, all day long, they wander from bar to restaurant, drinking rosé and vodka, before finishing at Coya, a posh place on rue du Bac. Although he hasn't had his license for four years (it was taken away after speeding), it's Franky Deplechin who arrives at the wheel of his father-in-law's BMW. They have already had dinner. Instead of trying to park nearby, he takes a space for 15 euros with the valet.
It was at the exit of the Coya that a dispute arose that the court tried to unravel. How is it that Franky leaves behind the wheel of a machine worth 250,000 euros that does not belong to him? Unable to provide any explanation, he mutters, “I think it was the alcohol that did all this.” » It's true that he had swallowed nearly ten glasses of vodka and several more of wine. The blood test revealed 1.56 g of alcohol per liter of blood. But, at the time of the events, an expert did not exclude that this rate could have exceeded two grams. He doesn't stagger.
For the counsel of the civil parties, there is no doubt that Franky Deplechin and his team planned to steal a luxury car that evening. A member of the Traveler community, the suspect has been the subject of seven convictions in the past, notably for caravan thefts. He painfully admits to appreciating beautiful cars, without opening up, you have to get every sentence out of his mouth. His attitude ends up annoying the court. “Today you don’t remember anything. But during your hearing, after the fact, you gave some information,” the president is surprised.
He is sure, for example, that he did not hit the restaurant valet to steal the Audi RS6, which is what the employee claims. “Have you consulted a doctor for these memory losses?” » asks an assessor. “No, not for that,” he dares to answer. While admitting that, since this tragedy, he has retaken his license. Franky Deplechin admits his wrongs, apologizes, but he has forgotten everything, the theft, the circumstances of the accident, the escape.
“I saw the worst, I saw my child behind the windows of the forensic institute”
If one man remembers every moment of this disastrous evening, it is Antoine's father, Yannick Alléno, 55 years old. “I haven't forgotten anything, I saw the worst, I saw my child behind the glass of the forensic institute,” he said standing at the microphone, very moved, overwhelming. His voice trails off, he is on the verge of tears: “I saw my son under a blanket, I recognized him because he was wearing his striped socks. I saw his blood on the ground, it looked like an attack scene. I lay on top of my son, I screamed. I am faced with the inexcusable and the unacceptable. »
A sad coincidence meant that Antoine almost died under his father's windows. Informed by his elder Thomas, he quickly went there. “Antoine represented the future of our profession and our country. He was a great kid. We dreamed with Thomas that they would take over this house. It would have made me happy to see them succeed, it would have been a consecration. […] My dad called me the next day and said, “Listen, you have to stay straight.” This is what I am doing today in front of you. »
The manager of Pavillon Ledoyen, the business manager who employs 250 people, regularly consults a psychologist and takes pills to keep going. His ex-wife, Isabelle, succeeds him. She seems on a wire, speaks quickly so as not to collapse in tears. “My life revolved around my two children. I lost everything on May 8, it was an earthquake, a disaster. When you're a parent, you never imagine the worst. My oldest son called me. I was on the highway, I heard: it's over, it's over. I saw a white sheet, I ran to my son. I still remember Yannick's screams. I'm waking up and telling myself that it was a nightmare, that I'm going to find my son Antoine. »
She evokes a nice, respectful boy, the trio that she and her sons formed, the father being quite absent. “Antoine had a lot of friends, they are all here today. I take antidepressants, it's a daily battle. […] He had the future ahead of him, a partner, his little cat, his apartment, he had plans, life was good. […] I try to help others to give meaning to my life. »
Antoine Alléno, an endearing, friendly, hardworking boy
The three defendants keep their heads and even their chests lowered, they sink into their folding seats, not daring to look at this frail and dignified woman, who has lost several kilos since the tragedy. Antoine's colleague, girlfriend, older brother, all tell of an endearing, friendly, hard-working boy who can be relied on. Antoine had recently called his fiancé (they had been together for six years) to confess his fear of not enjoying life enough, of finding himself alone and exhausted at 45. He wanted to rest. “But he will never be 25,” laments his partner. Thomas Alléno evokes such a bond with his younger brother that they planned to take over the reins of Yannick Alléno's business together: “I'm angry. I would have liked to have more explanations, I lost everything. » Father and son hug each other.
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Answer
Franky Deplechin, father of two little girls, who appears free after seven months of pre-trial detention, insisted on repeating, at the end of the debates, that he apologized, while concluding: “But I, in their place, I couldn't apologize. » It is unlikely that the Alléno family will be satisfied with these simple regrets without any other justification than alcohol, especially if we remember the questions of Maître Basile Ader, one of their lawyers: “Of course you came in this restaurant to steal this car worth 250,000 euros […] The expertise also showed that 70 meters before the impact, he did not brake, but accelerated. What was going through his mind at that moment? Did he think he could make his way between the taxi and the scooter? »
The public prosecutor requested an eight-year prison sentence against the driver, accompanied by a committal warrant, with a ban on obtaining his license for ten years. And sentences of six months in prison and nine months in prison suspended for the two other defendants, the father-in-law and brother-in-law of the driver, dismissed for aggravated theft. The court's decision was reserved until November 28.
