To avoid a “traffic jam” of pleadings – more than 300 lawyers represent the more than 2,400 people, survivors or relatives of the victims, who have brought civil parties – more than a hundred lawyers have chosen, on the initiative in particular of Mes Héléna Christidis and Frédéric Bilal, to “coordinate” their pleadings by organizing them by “theme”.
This desire for “coordination” has prompted more than a hundred other lawyers to voluntarily give up pleading to rely on their colleagues.
Lawyer Frédérique Giffard is due to open the ball early Monday afternoon by explaining this unprecedented approach to the special assize court. It is a “collective work in the interest of the civil parties and the victims”, she must tell the professional judges.
Twenty lawyers have planned to speak on Monday.
The first pleadings are scheduled from Monday to Wednesday. There will be no hearing on Thursday (holiday) or Friday.
– Brief tributes to the victims –
Hearings are expected to begin with brief individual tributes, delivered by lawyers, to the victims of the attacks that hit Paris and Saint-Denis on November 13, 2015.
Other councils must then deal with cross-cutting subjects such as “the hijacking of religion” or “music as an instrument of terror” (Monday), “the Bataclan”, “the Stade de France” and “the terraces” (Tuesday ) or even “post-traumatic stress”, “addictions”, “survivor’s guilt” (Wednesday).
Some lawyers preferred not to associate themselves with their colleagues, nor give up the floor. They will speak individually from June 1.
The pleadings of the civil parties should last at least until June 7.
The requisitions of the general attorneys of the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (Pnat) are scheduled for June 8 to 10 before the floor is left to the defense from June 13. The court could begin its deliberation on June 27, after “the last word” of the defendants, for a verdict expected on June 29.
Twenty defendants, including six tried in absentia, have been appearing before the special assize court since September 8 for their involvement in the attacks that left 130 dead and hundreds injured on November 13, 2015.
Twelve face life imprisonment, including the only living member of the commandos, Salah Abdeslam.
