A national police officer who was filmed throwing a man to the ground during the Music Festival in Carcassonne (Aude) on June 21 will face trial on November 6, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office on September 26. The officer is currently under investigation by the Marseille branch of the IGPN (National Police Inspection General) for "willful violence by a person in authority." The officer was placed in custody on Friday, then presented to the prosecutor and referred to the criminal court. Until the hearing, the officer is under judicial supervision with a prohibition on performing any police activity or any activity related to security and a prohibition on carrying a weapon, according to the prosecutor of the Republic in Carcassonne, Géraldine Labialle.
On videos shared on social networks by LFI deputy Thomas Portes, a national police officer can be seen gripping a man by the shoulders before violently throwing him to the ground. The victim, described as "clearly intoxicated" by the prosecutor, suffered a head injury and was evacuated by firefighters. The 29-year-old man died about ten days after the incident, on July 3. Found "in cardiac arrest" at his campsite, he had a history of drug addiction and had been homeless since the age of 16, the prosecutor said on September 14.
The prosecutor noted that no link has been established so far between the events of June 21 and the victim's death. The conclusions of the autopsy conducted on July 9 excluded "any suspicious traumatic injury resulting from the intervention of a third party." Given the victim's history, a "toxic cause" is favored to explain the death. The investigation continues to determine the exact cause of death and whether the officer's actions played any role in the victim's condition.
Police Officer to Face Trial Over Incident at Carcassonne Music Festival
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Original sources:
- 🇫🇷BFMTV



