Court of Pontoise: “I will shoot your mother’s legs, even if you are there”
A 32-year-old man is walking free for violence committed against his ex-girlfriend. During the hearing, the president’s questioning revealed the distressing nature of the defendant as well as the distress of the victim’s thirteen-year-old daughter.
One night, Issa came knocking on the door of Cindy, his ex-girlfriend. He wanted to return some things that he left in his house after a two-year relationship, but he did not put in the form, which came unexpectedly when their relationship became difficult. Cindy was disturbed by this problematic ex who suddenly asked to come home to her and her 13-year-old daughter. What business is he talking about? He didn’t remember that he left much behind. That can wait. Through the door, he decides to send her to hell. Replace the insult. He threatened to call the police, she left when he threatened her with violence.
The next day is August 1, 2022. Cindy left her house in the middle of the morning, with her daughter. Issa is waiting for him outside his residence. Again, she asked him to return her things. He replied that he didn’t have time for this moment, that they could arrange themselves later. Issa returns to her car, pulls out a golf club and returns to Cindy, hitting her hard several times in the legs with the club, until the shaft snaps. The two neighbors who witnessed the scene were terrified. “He didn’t say anything, he was cold, silent, he massacred the woman and he left,” testifies one of them. He first threw his coffee in her face, and according to Cindy’s daughter, a whole can.
This is the 13-year-old girl who called the police to say that her mother had just been beaten by her ex-boyfriend. An investigation was opened for attempted murder. The police arrive and cannot find Issa. It will take several months to find him, as he vacationed in the Marseille region, before returning to Saint-Denis where he lives. Here he will be arrested in November. In principle, he admits he made up the facts but disputes the details, and seems fueled by a certain grudge against Cindy. He was remanded in custody for three counts of aggravated battery: with a weapon, with an ex-girlfriend, in the presence of a minor.
Cindy’s skull is deformed, she still has the metal impact on her leg, and if she is only given 7 days of ITT, it’s because she doesn’t have any fractures. (and the allocation of ITTs, “sometimes a bit like Russian roulette”, according to the prosecutor). The list of his injuries drawn up by the medico-judicial unit is spread over one page. On November 12, the hearing was postponed, leaving Issa free under judicial control, until the hearing of November 25, where he puts his meter ninety-two in the bar of Pontoise’s immediate appearance. The president is just building the case. He takes the temperature: “Is what I said true?
“Not all, but a quarter. No, I would say half. »
“It’s violence, but not too much violence”
Issa is confident. “At 10 am, I came to get my things. I did wrong, I know, but this girl I gave her everything.
— You are not judged for loving Madame D., interrupted the president. “Did he know you were coming?”
– I ask her my business, she doesn’t want it, I got angry and grabbed her arm, we bickered. There I saw two people, I thought she had a new boyfriend, so I went to the car to get the club and I slapped her (Cindy).
‘So you think he’s her new boyfriend and that’s why you hit Madame D. In front of him?
– I wanted to hit people (who were a few meters away, editor’s note), but it hit Cindy. I put three shots, including one in the club.
– It must hurt, at your size. Issa is really big. “Did he fall to the ground?” yes How do you plan to get your business by hitting someone when he’s down?
“Basically, he doesn’t want it.
“You thought that was the way to get them back?”
– Not really. What I did was unacceptable.
– The other day, you were threatening?
– Not allowed. But on the way back, I could not peacefully leave without my belongings.
“So go away angry, and come back angry.” Is it a way of asserting your dominance?
– Not really.
– However, it is not by knocking him to the ground that you recover your property, unless it is to show him what you are capable of, to scare him. When you left, was he awake? yes He said ‘thanks see you next time’?
– No.
“He’s bleeding?”
– I didn’t care.
“Did you throw coffee at him?”
– Yes”.
Issa seemed annoyed, she wanted to convey the feeling that had fueled her in those times.
“I wouldn’t say he did everything to get there, but still,” he looked for her, Issa continued.
The seat does not come loose. He wants to see who Issa is.
“But you let loose. Why are you making coffee with him? It’s a bit embarrassing. Maybe you haven’t calmed down yet?
– That’s it.
– I want to understand what could have motivated this extreme violence?
‘It’s really not too much. It is violence, but not excessive violence.
“Then give us an example of extreme violence.
“If he ended up in plaster, I don’t know.
“So you’re saying if you wanted to, you might have broken his bones?”
“If I put all my strength…
“You were going to kill him?”
– No Not yet! »
Two days after the incident, Issa called Cindy to apologize. Not for the violence done against him, but for what he did in front of his daughter. “If you are a man, he added, I have sent you a team and I will ask you to withdraw your complaint. »
“It was so hard to see my mother hit, I have nightmares”
The president notifies someone in the room. “Miss? You seem to want to talk? Her height is surprising, but it was the 13-year-old girl who saw her mother fall to the ground. After asking her what she wanted, the president asked her with a kind that is familiar.
“Your reaction was good. Why do you want to go now?
– I would like to talk more, because it is difficult for my mother to see, it gives me nightmares.
— You saw GB coming, were you afraid?
— He told me ‘I will break your mother’s legs, even if you are here’. He couldn’t call the police because he took the phone away from him. »
The girl sat down.
“Come on Mr. B., you will be back. What do you think ? Listening to them, it is difficult for them, they are afraid. are they right
– Not allowed.
– Why?
– If we are here now, because I want to return my things.
“Do you think it’s his fault?”
“It could be different.
“Do you think you deserve to go to jail?”
— When you see things like that, I say yes, but I have a point of view.
– Recovery of your business, is that a reason for your action? Is this a reason that can justify hurting people? I remind you of your right to remain silent. »
silence
“If you talk bad like that, big shit, don’t be surprised if he threatens you” (Police officer)
Cindy’s testimony. He informed the court that he had filed handrails for the written threats. One night during a violent argument, he dialed 17: “He’s in front of my house, he’s telling me he’s going to kill me”, he told the police. Then, he insults Issa at the door. The policeman’s reaction: “If you talk bad like that, big shit, don’t be surprised if he threatens you. Don’t call anymore. The court adjourned, the prosecutor apologized and informed that a follow-up would be provided (the call was recorded).
The president asked Cindy: “What do you expect from justice?
‘I don’t understand why he’s not in jail. I am afraid that he will come to finish his work. His business is a cause. »
Her lawyer said that the defendant is running a “return to the responsibilities typical of domestic violence”, and insists on the fear that now torments Cindy and her daughter. The prosecutor, however talkative, did not expand at length. He noted the coldness and lack of remorse of the defendant, emphasized the state of legal review and required 4 years in prison, including a person suspended from probation (prohibition of contact and going to the home of victim, duty of care and work), and request a warrant of committal. This meant that having freely entered the room, Issa could have been arrested on the spot, handcuffed and headed straight to jail.
Issa’s lawyer knows that this prospect is terrifying for a defendant so he asks for every possible alternative: a deferred committal warrant, a sentence adjustment ab initioall, instead of being subject to a warrant of committal at the hearing, pointing out that his client respected his judicial review and appeared at the hearing of the day.
As a final word, Issa simply said, “I don’t hold any grudges about any of this.”
At night, well-equipped police stationed themselves in Issa’s back room. The decision came down: three years with a two-year firm. “The court issued a warrant of committal”.
Issa remained silent but shocked, her eyes said, when she was handcuffed.
