Breeder of nonagenarian's killer dog released by investigating judge, details of decision

The request for release processed by the investigating chamber has become “without object”, we learned this Friday. ARCHIVES HOCINE ROUAGDIA

Me Luc Abratkiewicz Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

The dog breeder whose animal killed the former mayor of Canaules-et-Argentières asked the Nîmes Court of Appeal to release her this Wednesday, August 28. She had been incarcerated since her indictment on May 30. She is suspected of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with a crime scene. The investigating judge directly ordered her release on Thursday evening

The dog breeder, whose animal killed the former mayor of Canaules-et-Argentières,asked the Nîmes Court of Appeal to release her this Wednesday, August 28. She has been incarcerated since her indictment on May 30. She is suspected of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with a crime scene. The case dates back to May 28 when a former elected official (93 years old) was attacked in the cemetery while she was visiting the grave of a deceased person.

Read also: Former Gard mayor savagely attacked by a mastiff in a cemetery, dog breeder asks to be released from prison

One of the breeder's dogs, wandering in the cemetery, attacked Annette Guibal. The animal had been entrusted to an 18-year-old girl, who was doing an internship with the breeder. The nonagenarian had lost her life and the breeder was placed in police custody and then brought before the judge Mathilde Pagès, investigating magistrate at the Alès judicial court. The Nîmes Court of Appeal was due to deliver its ruling this Friday, August 30. Attorney General Ms. Reymond had requested that the request for release be rejected. The representative of the public prosecutor's office indicated that the breeder had “covered up” things after the fact. She also mentioned pressure to make or not make certain statements during the investigation. The prosecution representative also addressed another indictment of the breeder to dismiss her request for release. Ms. Reymond also insisted on the absence of a defined plan to justify and support a judicial review. .

Released directly by the investigating magistrate

But on Thursday evening, before the decision of the investigating chamber to be rendered this Friday, the defense of the breeder revealed that its client had been released directly by the investigating judge. Me Luc Abratkiewicz, a little earlier in the day, had expressed his incomprehension and irritation at the detention of his client.“As things stand, I don't understand why the justice system is determined to keep her in detention. The investigation and the instruction show that she has no direct responsibility in the accident. The dogs were in order, the intern who was walking the dog was in order. Her only responsibility is to have panicked and lied about the circumstances of the accident. Since then, her statement has been completely consistent with what the intern and the young disabled woman who accompanied her said".

The appeal before the court becomes "moot"

The breeder has therefore been released, two judicial sources confirmed this Friday. At the Nîmes Court of Appeal, it was specified that the appeal against the rejection of release (examined on Wednesday) had become moot. Indeed, the investigating magistrate has full latitude in a case to order, for example, placement under judicial supervision, including when a case is being examined at the same time by an investigating chamber. From a more technical point of view, the sentence incurred and the absence of a criminal record should allow the release of this person in about three weeks. Because the duration of a correctional committal warrant in this case is four months.

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