“He has the right to lie; we have the right to draw the consequences”: a young dealer from Alès sentenced despite his denials

L'audience s'est déroulée au palais de justice d'Alès, dans le Gard. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

The accused, aged 19, was tried this Thursday, December 12, before the criminal court of the capital of the Cévennes, in the Gard. The public prosecutor requested a prison sentence accompanied by a committal warrant, while the defense pleaded for acquittal. What did the magistrates of the seat decide? ?

Anti-drug operation by the anti-crime brigade (Bac) of Alès, in the Promelles district, on December 7, at the end of the day. After a stakeout, two police officers intervened on the second floor of a building on “a mapped drug dealing point” and, not without difficulty, arrest two young men, including a 17-year-old minor. On this occasion, the officers seized 202 g of cannabis herb, 192 g of resin and 27 g of cocaine. Drugs stamped, for example, “Nutel'H” and “Fant'H”…

Two versions clash

The 19-year-old Alès resident was found free this Thursday, December 12, before the criminal court, in immediate appearance. Even though he was at the scene, hooded, wearing gloves and carrying a large sum of cash, he assured, addressing the president Simon Lanes using the term “chief” repeatedly (which annoyed the public prosecutor), that he was only a consumer and that he had only struggled a little during his arrest. “There are huge differences between what you say and what the police say”, notes the magistrate. “He has the right to lie; we have the right to draw the consequences”, says Quentin Larroque, the deputy public prosecutor, before requesting against the one “who holds the bag”, but is very quiet in the dock, a year in prison and an arrest warrant.