“I witnessed the disaster”, the comedian’s sister speaks during the hearing

This Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the trial of Pierre Palmade opened at the Melun criminal court. In the afternoon, the comedian gave a detailed testimony on the days which preceded the tragic accident of February 10, 2023. He described the devastating effects of his drug consumption, in particular 3-MMC, a substance which he has used for several years. “We don't feel tired when we're drugged, we no longer feel the notion of caution, of legality”, he recognized, visibly marked, as recounted Here is.

The story of that fateful night is chilling. After several days of heavy consumption and a lack of supplies, he decided to drive to obtain drugs. “I take my authority car and then it’s black”, he declared, before adding: “They tell me about the accident, about a dead baby, about an injured family. It takes me two days to realize that I am in hell.”

Pierre Palmade's sister speaks

Since 2002, Hélène Palmade became a central figure in her brother's life, taking charge of his affairs as his drug addiction intensified. “I witnessed the disaster of his addiction. I have lived by his side since that time,” she confided with emotion. But she also highlighted a recent development: “Since weaning him, I have found him again. He is healing himself, and I firmly believe that this time he will really do everything right. Today, I want to believe it. What Pierre has managed to recover, it's a victory. He has found reflexes, ways of thinking, which make me find the weapons to fight.

Far from being a statement of blind optimism, these words convey a mixture of hope and caution. “Before the accident, I imagined myself organizing a funeral or I imagined him as a drug addict in a wheelchair. Today, I imagine it transmitting”, she added, testifying to the transformation she sees in her brother. Unlike Hélène, their older sister, Claire, has cut all ties with the comedian. “I think our sister is ashamed of the situation,” explained Hélène, emphasizing the importance of her role as a caregiver: “We, the caregivers, cannot let go.”

Pierre Palmade facing his actions

In court, he expressed his shame and remorse. “I'm ashamed. I regret making these people's lives hell.” With emotion, he turned to the victims to ask them for forgiveness, an approach which they rejected with a simple gesture of the head. During his testimony, Pierre Palmade also returned to his long fight against addiction. A cocaine user since the age of 20, he admitted that the drug initially helped him overcome his discomfort with being homosexual. “At first, it was a medicine that cured me of my discomfort.” he confided.

But over the years, this consumption has become destructive. At 56, he admits to having “lost everything”. “It's a kind of accepted suicide. A descent towards death.” Despite these harrowing confessions, the trial also highlights inconsistencies in his actions, including a relapse in June 2023, shortly after the accident. “It's still my illness”, he explained, aware of the indignation that this episode aroused.