Man on Trial for 42-Stab Murder Shifts Defense, Contradicts Evidence

Anis presented yet another modified version of the facts, in flagrant contradiction with the material elements gathered during the investigation, on the fourth day of his murder trial, reports Le Parisien.

Accused of the murder of Smaïl, 40, the defendant goes back on the thesis of the sexual assault in his room, which would be at the origin of their brawl. "I couldn’t stand it," he says, explaining that he had grabbed the blade with his right hand, deeply cut his hand, and then managed to take the knife. He had used it to stab the victim once before fleeing by rolling on the bed.

"We don’t have a single drop of your blood on your bed, or in your room," reacts President Marc Trévidic. In response, the accused claims to know nothing. He will then present three scenes in which he would have pushed the victim back into a room while trying to keep the door closed by holding the handle. "We don’t find your blood..." the president points out. Anis does not change his version nonetheless. "He was telling me, ’I’m going to kill you, I’m going to make you die.’ I put my left forearm in front of my eyes and I struck..." the accused relates.

According to the lawyer, Étienne Lesage, the victim’s family firmly believes that the accused and his friends "wanted to teach Smaïl a lesson and kidnap him." Anis defends himself: "We weren’t going to kidnap him! I never thought about it." "I had no choice that day. I’m really sorry for the civil parties. Forgive me, I’m sorry," he concludes.