at trial, the unbearable amnesia of the driver without a license

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Two memories face to face. The first, marked with a hot iron, is that of a family destroyed by the death of a son, a brother, a spouse. The second, non-existent, silent, is that of a driver with blood on his hands. This Thursday October 31, 2024 the trial of Franky D. was held before the Paris criminal court.. Aged 27, he is on trial for having, aboard a stolen car, killed the son of chef Yannick Alléno during a chase. A sentence of 8 years in prison, with a committal warrant, was requested against him. A ten-year driving ban was also requested.

An evasive defendant

With his back arched and his gaze fixed on the ground, Franky D. would like, despite his large size, to make himself as small as possible in the large courtroom of the criminal court. Yet he must face it. To the insistent questions of the judges and lawyers, but also to the tear-filled eyes of the relatives of Antoine Alléno, mowed down by the defendant's vehicle, driving without a license, on May 8, 2022. The victim was riding a scooter with a female passenger and waiting at a red light. For this hearing, the benches of the civil parties are full to bursting.

“Surely”, “I don’t know”… Throughout his interrogation by the court, only these evasive sentences came out of the mouth of the main defendant. From the evening of the drama, he has no memoriesdrowned in glasses of white wine and vodka-Red Bull, according to him. Franky D. even hypothesizes that he could have been drugged without his knowledge during the evening, as his amnesia is total.

“I was a coward”

All questions from the parties get lost in a screen of ethyl smoke. Why did you flee in an Audi RS6, after receiving the keys from the deluded valet of a restaurant located on rue du Bac? Why did you refuse to comply and rush into the streets of Paris? at more than 100 km/h? Why, after the shock, did you try to escape the scene on foot? “I was a coward,” stammers the defendant.

Another question: how, given all the alcohol consumed, does he manage to drive, run, and even lie during his arrest? “There is an inconsistency about amnesia. No psychiatrist has identified any neurological problems,” says a lawyer for the civil parties.

A “limited” understanding of the questions

The only consolation for Antoine Alléno's family: excuses. “I have no words to express what I did. It's a tragedy. I know I won’t be forgiven,” mutters the defendant. This car enthusiast with roaring engines is barely audible to the court as he speaks so quietly. According to one of his lawyers, his understanding of the issues is limited. “He is on autopilot,” assures his council.

On several occasions, the family's lawyers tried to bring back the memory of the accused. “Today is the only time you meet the family. They need to feel a little honesty! “, implores one of the councils. The fog doesn't fade. His brother-in-law and father-in-law, also tried for their alleged participation in the theft of the Audi, did not shed further light on the court. The only moment of surprise: the defendant, free since the end of 2022, retested his driving test a year and a half ago.

The poignant testimony of the victim's relatives

If Franky D. is stooped, those close to Antoine Alléno stand straight at the bar. “I can’t bend my back. I have my family and my restaurants to take care of,” said Yannick Alléno, famous chef. The latter recounted with emotion the day she lost her son : “I haven’t forgotten anything.”

The chef was not far from the scene of the accident on the evening of the incident. “I arrived there, and I saw a scene of chaos. There were pieces of metal everywhere and gallons of blood on the ground. My son was on a blanket. I recognized him because he was wearing striped socks. I lay on top of him, and I screamed,” said the victim’s father. If the voice of the father of the family trembles, he does not flinch: “Antoine was fundamentally good. He was a great kid.”

Antoine Alléno's ex-partner also read these memories in court. “I remember the journey. I remember his brother's look full of sadness. I remember his mother, her hand over her mouth, she couldn't express what was happening. I also remember Yannick losing all lucidity.” On the docks, we stoop even more.Franky D. is turned so as not to see the civil parties. He will not forget this audience. The hearing is reserved for November 28.

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