The rebellious MP Ersilia Soudais filed a complaint of rape against her partner Damien Cassé, municipal councilor and member of LFI. The man was questioned by the police and is temporarily excluded from the political party.
Damien Cassé was released this Wednesday March 6 after 24 hours in police custody. The municipal councilor of Noisiel (Seine-et-Marne) and activist of La France insoumise was arrested and heard this Tuesday after the complaint of his partner, the LFI deputy Ersilia Soudais, filed on the evening of Saturday March 2. A blatant investigation was opened for charges of “rape by a spouse, moral harassment, malicious telephone calls and psychological violence” by the Meaux public prosecutor’s office and entrusted to the sub-directorate of the Melun judicial police.
The release of Damien Cassé who “is neither indicted nor placed under judicial supervision” as recalled by his lawyer Me Yassine Bouzrou at Parisian shows “great respect for the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence”. The council indicated that his client “strongly disputed the facts which are the subject of the complaint” to investigators. Already yesterday, the rebellious elected official “constest[ait] forcefully the accusations brought against him”.
In her complaint filed in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, MP Ersilia Soudais denounces facts which allegedly occurred in the town of Noisiel on the night of February 29 to March 1. The parliamentarian’s lawyer, Me Jade Dousselin, confided in the Figaro hope that “all light will be shed in calm and respect for the secrecy of the investigation”.
Damien Cassé “temporarily” excluded from LFI
After filing a complaint, the MP contacted the authorities of La France insoumise to request the exclusion of her companion, also a member of the political group. Damien Cassé was in fact sidelined “as a precautionary measure” from the rebellious party according to information from RMC. The decision was taken and notified this Wednesday March 6. Ersilia Soudais should soon be heard by the party’s internal sexual and gender-based violence unit.
The deputy for La France insoumise in the 7th constituency of Seine-et-Marne since June 2022, Ersilia Soudais, now aged 35, has also been a municipal elected official in the commune of Lagny-sur-Marne since 2020. Feminist activist, she became known in her commune during local struggles against poor housing.