Fight ends in stabbing: four Millau residents sentenced to prison terms

Les quatre prévenus ont été entendus mardi à Rodez en audience correctionnelle. AD

Involved in a brawl, four Millavois aged 19 to 33 were sentenced to prison terms by the Aveyron Criminal Court.

An altercation, four defendants, two stab wounds, a week of investigation… That's it for today's hearing held on Tuesday 27 August before the Rodez Criminal Court. At the bar, four Millavois heard by the judges after a violent altercation that took place in the La Tine parking lot, on the night of August 20 to 21.

Altercation or during which, one of the belligerents, aged 33, was injured twice by a bladed weapon. In this case, a knife “with a corkscrew on top". Taken care of by the firefighters, the victim suffered a deep cut to the chest and another less serious one at the ankle.

Contradictory versions

How did it come to this ? Despite the investigation, it is difficult to answer this question as the hearings are so confusing, not to say contradictory.

There is little certainty in this muddle. Except that two individuals finally decided to fight two others. Who first struck the blows ? "An outburst of violence", the prosecution will say. Punches, blows from glass bottles, from nitrous oxide canisters. For what motive? ? Who ultimately delivered the two stab wounds? ?

So many questions that ultimately collide with the two versions that each of the duos has given. Very different from each other. The first, to the credit of the first pair, is this one: a festive weekend, a very drunken evening, then the desire to continue the night already well underway by going in search of narcotics.

The hunt leads them to the second duo who invites them to come and take possession of the order in the parking lot of La Tine, in Millau. Finally, the tone rises, the insults fly and the evening suppliers come to blows. "To defend themselves", assures one of the buyers.

A knife is pulled from the pocket and then shown to keep the other two in check. A blow from a bottle to the head and a « mêlée » further on, one of them is hit in the chest and ankle. His partner will give him first aid before being replaced by the firefighters. It is 3:30 a.m.

Another duo, another version. "We were smoking some cannabis in our car when the other two came to ask us for narcotics", one of them will say in court. “One of them started telling us his life story”, he continues, “before attacking my car.”

“At his side, the other defendant agrees: “I went out, I got hit on the head with a bottle, then he pulled out a knife. I pushed him." On the wounds caused by the blade of a knife. "As they fell, I think they could have done that to themselves."

Prison firm

Nothing more will leak out of this maelstrom. Everyone remains hooked on the content of the first hearings or the confrontation called for a few days later. Was there in fact another knife as the victim attests in his first interviews? ? Why did he flee by car when one of the belligerents complained of having been “planted” 60~/em>” ? Why did they only show up at the Millau police station two days later, confused by the testimonies of some and a mobile phone left at the scene of the fight ?