Death of Aymen in Montpellier: the public prosecutor’s office renounces to appeal in order "not to inflict a new tria…

The criminal court of Hérault had sentenced William C., 23 years old, to eight years in prison on October 23rd. This sentence was lower than the 12 years of imprisonment requested by the public prosecutor. The court found him guilty of "intentional violence with a weapon resulting in death without intent to give it". After the announcement of this verdict, Aymen’s family had expressed their "disappointment" in a letter addressed to the public prosecutor’s office.

A decision "not to inflict" a new trial

The public prosecutor Damien Kincher responded to the family by letter to justify his decision. "I do not intend to appeal and inflict a new trial on you, with the risk of another criminal qualification and no assurance on the final sentence," he wrote. While acknowledging that the sentence "can never be up to the level of your suffering", the magistrate called on the family "not to sink into a hatred that malicious minds seek to stir up".

He stressed that the judges had retained the most serious qualification, ruling out manslaughter and self-defense, but that "the very particular context" and "the personality of the accused", a semi-literate young man who apologized in court, had "undoubtedly been taken into account".

The tragedy had occurred on December 14, 2022, after the France-Morocco semi-final. The driver, who was driving without a license, had found himself trapped in the middle of Moroccan supporters. Feeling threatened, he had accelerated brutally, mowing down Aymen, 13 years old, who died shortly afterwards. A peaceful tribute to the teenager is organized this Friday at the scene of the tragedy.