The Montpellier woman who defended herself with a knife against her attacker remains in prison

La chambre de l’instruction a opté pour le maintien en détention. Midi Libre – GIACOMO ITALIANO

Testifying that she was the victim of an attempted rape, she had inflicted two stab wounds on her attacker. She was kept in detention, while the individual is free.

Forty years old, Julie* has had a difficult life. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, she was homeless, consuming alcohol and drugs. But through much effort, she now lives in an apartment, while continuing to hang out with her friends who live on the street.

This Montpellier woman noticed among them a man she did not know and who had an injured hand. She offered to treat him in her apartment.

But once there, the individual tried to rape her. The woman defended herself by stabbing him once, then twice, in the stomach. She then ran off to get help. This made it possible to rescue the individual who was hospitalized.

These events took place last January. Taken into custody and referred for attempted murder, the woman was placed in pre-trial detention.

Heard by the police who suspected an attempted rape, the man claimed that the sexual relationship was consensual. He was released.

The prosecution appealed the release

But he did not respect the judicial control imposed on him. He was even tried a few weeks ago for six burglaries.

Already accused of aggravated violence, the woman had been declared irresponsible due to discernment impaired by her schizophrenia.

But in the case of last January, the expert psychiatrist did not consider any mitigating circumstances, since the patient was in a state stabilized by injections.< /p>

The judge of freedoms had granted a judicial review to the defendant, which could have allowed her to leave prison. But the prosecutor appealed this decision and requested his continued detention due to the risk of recurrence.

The investigating chamber was working on this matter on Tuesday June 18. The lawyer who had obtained the unsealing of the apartment once again pleaded for the release of this fragile woman.

But this Tuesday, June 25, the judges ruled in favor of continued detention.

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