Jonathan Bettez dismissed as suspect in the kidnapping of Cédrika Provencher?

During his civil trial, Jonathan Bettez's lawyer intends to demonstrate that his client's photo was dismissed by eyewitnesses of the investigation into the kidnapping of the little girl.

During his civil trial, Jonathan Bettez's lawyer intends to demonstrate that the photo of his client was dismissed by eyewitnesses to the investigation into the kidnapping of Cédrika Provencher. (Archive photo)

• Maude Montembeault (View profile)

  

  Maude Montembeault

« Jonathan Bettez remains to this day the main suspect in the case concerning the disappearance , the kidnapping and murder of a 9-year-old girl. »

This is stated in a request by lawyers for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) police officers filed in court in December, a statement that the opposing party disputes.

It has been more than four years since the Bettez family filed their civil suit. No trial date has yet been set.

The Bettez family is demanding $10 million from the SQ, police officers responsible for the investigation into the murder of Cédrika Provencher and the Attorney General of Quebec. She criticizes the police for having done everything to make the population believe that Jonathan Bettez was a pedophile and a murderer.

Since the filing of the civil suit, interrogations have been carried out, including those of the Bettez family, the police and the buyer of Emballages Bettez. That of Martin Prud'homme, former general director of the SQ, is still awaited.

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The two parties do not agree on several points and have an appointment in court from January 22 to discuss them. It is in anticipation of these hearings that new details emerge.

A document produced by Jonathan's lawyer Bettez, Me Jessy Héroux, states that the sketches and the physical description of the eyewitnesses of the event do not correspond to Jonathan Bettez.

Mr. Héroux adds: More importantly, eyewitnesses ruled out Jonathan Bettez during an identification session and indicated that he did not match the person they had seen.

Lawyers for the Attorney General of Quebec wish to exclude the media and Jonathan Bettez from the courtroom, arguing that it is appropriate and consistent with the sound administration of justice to decide objections in camera and ex parte, for reasons of public interest.

In a request, they request an exception to the principle of the public nature of proceedings before the courts.

Among the reasons given, the defendants emphasize that the file encourages this information to remain confidential, because it is a criminal investigation file which is still active and until now, there has been no criminal charge.

The Attorney General of Quebec wants to prevent elements of the investigation into the murder of Cédrika from being revealed Provencher.

According to the request, the requested protection applies to several elements :

It is alleged that the release of these details could harm the ongoing investigation and prevent the murderer of Cédrika Provencher from being brought to justice.

Jonathan Bettez's lawyer objects. A media consortium plans to contest the request of the police officers' lawyers.

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