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French police officer Florian M., who stands accused of “voluntary manslaughter” in the death of 17-year-old hoodlum Nahel M. in Nanterre June 27, will remain in custody. His lawyer has demanded his client be released because he may not be safe in French prison.
The 38-year-old officer was indicted for “voluntary manslaughter” after being presented to two investigating judges at the judicial court of Nanterre on June 2. Florian M. has been incarcerated since last Thursday in the Prison Hospital after the shooting death of 17-year-old juvenile delinquent Nahel M.
This Thursday, the police officer spoke at his pretrial hearing by videoconference, from his cell. “He expressed himself calmly and clearly”, Valeurs Actuelles reports. The court denied his lawyer Laurent-Franck Liénard’s motion to free the officer.
Liénard said that his client “is less safe in detention than he would be in public under police protection”, seeming to inply the National Police officer may be in danger from criminals in prison. He called for the officer to be released with an electronic bracelet. “This is not a criminal or drug dealer,” Liénard said. “This is a police officer, a public servant.”
“This is someone who has obeyed the law all his life. He’s not going to start breaking it tomorrow,” Liénard said.
💬 “Je pense qu’il est moins en sécurité en détention qu’il ne serait libre sur l’espace public et sous protection policière”
➡ Maître Laurent-Franck Liénard, avocat du policier auteur du tir sur Nahel pic.twitter.com/6ayNOcJrnI
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 6, 2023
According to Le Parisien, who had access to the officer’s testimony to the National Police Inspector General (IGPN), Florian M. indicated that he first asked Nahel to stop the vehicle when he saw him driving his high-powered rental Mercedes in a bus lane. The teenager then raced off “at full speed” and had to be pursued by the officer and his colleague on their motorcycles in a dangerous high-speed pusuit through Nanterre.
Florian M. testified he yelled at Nahel to cut the engine when he caught up with him, and repeatedly hit the windshield of the car “in order to attract the driver’s attention”. Florian M. said he was aiming his gun away from the driver in order “not to hit him.” At the same time, he said he saw his colleague “lean his body” into the passenger compartment of the Mercedes. He then felt the driver accelerate.
Feeling”stuck” between the car and a wall behind him, and fearing that his colleague would be dragged along by the driver speeding off, he opened fire. Florian M. denied having told Nahel “You’re going to get a bullet in your head”.
The two other passengers, a 17-year-old and 14-year-old, claimed the officers said “Cut the engine or I’ll shoot you” and “I’m going to shoot a bullet in your head”.
Une vidéo de Nahel circule sur les réseaux au volant d’une moto sur la voie publique !#emeutes #emeute #Nanterre #Naël #moto #censure #snapchat #Lyon #Marseille #Paris #Quartier #Cité #Banlieue #violence #police #etatdurgence #guerre #guerrecivile #CNEWS #BFM #FRANCE #Metz… pic.twitter.com/lU2hwDXG4P
— Salade Niçoise (@clezga_officiel) July 4, 2023
A video claimed to show Nahel stunt-riding a motorcyle. The young man had a 15-count rap sheet, including 5 instances of evading arrest when stopped without a license. Last month he appeared in a gangsta rap video, also riding a motorcycle.
Florian M. is a military veteran and received a medal for courage and dedication for his actions during a kidnapping 2021, according to BFMTV. He has received eight letters of commendation and an internal security medal for his performance during the Yellow Vest demonstrations.
On Thursday, July 6, the Court of Appeal of Versailles confirmed that Florian M. would remain incarcerated.
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