Pierre Palmade sentenced to 5 years in prison: apologies to the victims, testimony from the mother on the death of the baby… The 4 highlights of the hearing

The Melun judicial court sentenced the actor Pierre Palmade to a sentence of 5 years in prison, including 2 years on November 20, 2024. The sentence required against Pierre Palmade is associated with a detention warrant with deferred effect, i.e. that is to say that the 56-year-old actor will not be incarcerated immediately, but placed under judicial supervision.

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Trial of Pierre Palmade: “unintentional injuries” and not “homicide”, anger of the victims, penalty incurred… Three information to remember about the case

Pierre Palmade was on trial for “aggravated involuntary injuries” following the serious road accident he caused while under the influence of drugs in February 2023. Three people were seriously injured, including a pregnant woman who lost her unborn child. The latter testified at the trial as civil parties. Debate around the notion of homicide, penalty incurred… A look back at the trial in 5 highlights.

Mila talks about the death of her unborn child

One of the most sensitive stages of the trial was the testimony of Mila, the young woman who lost her unborn child in the accident. The latter underwent an emergency cesarean section after which the death of the fetus was noted. “I was in total denial,” Mila said on the stand. “For me, I had just given birth. Solin, I had carried her in my arms. For me, she was sleeping […]. She was dead,” she continued in tears.

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Trial of Pierre Palmade: “I still can't think about it without crying…” The mother who lost her baby in the accident speaks

Pierre Palmade asks for “forgiveness” from the victims

Called to the stand after Mila, Yuksel Yakut, the father who drove the car hit by Pierre Palmade, testified about the physical after-effects with which he and his son have lived since the accident. The child, who was in the back of the car, suffered facial scars and a crooked jaw. After hearing the victims' testimony, Pierre Palmade was called back to the stand: “I would like to ask them for forgiveness. I think they don't want to, but I would like,” he declared before turning to the victims. “I would like to ask you for forgiveness deep within me, sincerely.”

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Pierre Palmade recounts his addiction to cocaine

Before the prosecutor, Pierre Palmade spoke of his drug addiction. The comedian recounted the discovery of 3-MMC, then the inability to work. “I lost the taste for life.” Then comes the mention of the accident. The actor declares having taken “three or four rails of coke to [se] wake up because 3-MMC tends to make you sleepy” before getting behind the wheel. The prosecutor toughens her tone: “You don't think there is a problem with this sentence?” she retorts, concluding : “You would have had this trigger to tell yourself that you were not fit to drive, you would not be there”.

The prosecutor recognizes that “Pierre Palmade’s fault” caused the child’s death

During the requisitions, the prosecutor returned to one of the most sensitive points of the case: “We have a child who was viable and who died because of the fault of Pierre Palmade,” she declared. As part of the trial, the judge did not accept the charge of involuntary manslaughter required, regarding the fetus by the lawyer for the civil parties, Mr. Mourad Battikh. According to consistent case law of the Court of Cassation, a child. does not exist as a legal person until he is born This morning, Mr. Mourad Battikh again demanded that the charge be changed “Do you agree to be tried for manslaughter? “, asked the president of the court to Pierre Palmade. “No”, stammered the comedian before returning to his place, haggard. At the end of the deliberations, the actor was sentenced to five years in prison, including two years farms.