Convicted of the murder, kidnapping and kidnapping of Maëlys De Araujo – 8 years old at the time of the events, August 27, 2017, in Pont-de-Beauvoisin (Isère) –, and guilty of sexual assaults against two of his cousins aged under 15, in July and August of the same year, Nordahl Lelandais was sentenced on Friday February 18 by the Assize Court of Isère to life imprisonment, accompanied by twenty-two years of safety. He also received a ten-year sentence of socio-judicial follow-up, with the obligation to submit to it.
At the statement of this verdict, the accused seemed for a short moment as if slightly stunned, before exchanging a few words through the window with his lawyers and his mother. For their part, seated in the front row facing the court, as since the start of the trial on January 31, Maëlys’ parents and sister hugged each other. “The penalty is heavy. He’ll never hurt anyone againcommented Joachim De Araujo, the father, not totally satisfied. But the pain is there. Nothing can bring Maëlys back. “Maëlys allowed to put a dangerous criminal in prison”, said Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel, the mother, while gloating over the pain, “at the height of what[elle] was waiting”.
In accordance with the requisitions of the representative of the public ministry represented by the Attorney General Jacques Dallest, this verdict was rendered after a deliberation of nearly seven hours. When the hearing resumed on Friday morning, the 39-year-old former dog handler once again addressed the girl’s family to apologize which he knows, he said, that ‘they won’t be “never accepted”. “I heard the experts on the long work to be done, and I will do it with determination,” he added.
“Alone facing his destiny”
The nine judges did not follow Me Alain Jakubowicz, who, in his pleading the day before, had suggested a sentence that would allow “Keep hoping as every man is entitled to: thirty years locked up, that’s what he deserves! “. He had addressed the jury, while admitting the difficulty of his task: “How do you defend a man who killed an 8-year-old girl? Who lowered the panties of his little cousins of 4 and 6 years to caress them, while filming the scene? » And to counter the bad impression that, by his lies and his silence, his client left during these three weeks of hearing, the lawyer from Lyon recalled the rules of law which presides over the Assize Court. “An accused has the right to remain silent, to lie, it is French law. »
You have 59.7% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.