The trial of the former Grenoble players has finally opened before the Gironde Assize Court. The five defendants were present, including Denis Coulson who walked with the help of a crutch. The alleged victim requested closed session, automatically granted by the court.
The trial finally began. This Monday at 2 p.m., former FC Grenoble players appeared before the Gironde Assize Court in the case of alleged gang rape in a room in a Mérignac hotel on the night of March 11 to 12 2017. We saw the rugby players arrive one by one through the same entrance as the public and the press accompanied by their defenders. Chris Farrell and Rory Grice first, followed by Loick Jammes, then Denis Coulson and finally Dylan Hayes. Coulson was the most scrutinized since he did not come in June, the scheduled date of the trial, because of a serious road accident which had sent him to the hospital. He appeared on a crutch, limping, with no other apparent injuries. Maître Gaessy Gros, one of the civil party's lawyers, recalls that he will request total closed session, a legal closed session that the court cannot refuse, it is the law in matters of sexual assault.
Grice nervous, Coulson face closed
The young woman, now 28 years old, was there too, as discreetly as possible. She sat behind her lawyers who asked not to film or photograph her. The players took their places at the bar facing the platform reserved for magistrates and jurors. Rory Grice seemed the most nervous, Denis Coulson had a closed face, Loick Jammes was impassive. We felt Chris Farrell and Dylan Hayes a little less tense. They are indicted for charges different from the first three: failure to assist a person in danger or failure to prevent a crime. The hearing started very quickly, more than one would have expected. The president indicated that the defendants would have interpreters, who came to introduce themselves. Then, the five former Grenoble residents revealed their identity, that of their parents, their home and their profession. We understood that Dylan Hayes, who ended his career due to injury in January, was unemployed. Denis Coulson explained that he worked as a manager in the construction sector.
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The Jammes council is surprised by the closed session
Then President Marie-Noelle Billaud drew lots for the jurors, the first moment of relative tension. Seven of them were challenged either by the prosecution or by the defense, we imagine the protagonists weighing the pros and cons, by virtue of various criteria, age, sex, profession… Then Maître Cadiot- Feidt, counsel for the alleged victim, requested the closed session on behalf of his client, as was the case in June. First event: Jean-Félix Luciani, counsel to Loick Jammes, speaks not to challenge the closed session, but to be surprised by it. He refers to the numerous articles or reports which have reported on the affair, oriented according to him and largely favorable to the alleged victim.
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Trial of ex-Grenoblois – Relive the opening of the trial of players accused of “gang rape” or “failure to assist a person in danger”
A trial not completely behind closed doors
The president then brings out the public as well as the journalists. But we learn that this requested total closed session will not be completely closed. Corinne Dreyfus-Schmidt, lawyer for Denis Coulson, requests that her client's father and sister remain in the room given the state of his health. As for the plaintiff's lawyers, they had already requested that a relative stay alongside the young woman, for emotional support, as well as two members of a victim support association, Vict’aid. Two requests granted by Marie-Noelle Billaud, the trial could begin.
The first afternoon was therefore devoted to the reading of the indictment by the president. The various actors have not yet spoken, but we felt the defense lawyers sharpening their weapons. They want to give another face to this affair, that’s clear. Master Dreyfus-Schmidt entrusted it to us. Maître Saint-Pierre, Chris Farrell's lawyer, refused to speak, with a surprising sentence: “I am on the sidelines of this trial,” cryptic remarks that should have been taken as a sort of joke which seems to be part of his strategy of defense which will seek to exonerate its client, spectator or witness who is more or less conscious but not an actor. Tomorrow Tuesday, we will be entitled to the personality interrogation of the accused followed by the hearing of the witnesses.
