After consulting the investigation file, Europe 1 and JDNews challenge the version of the civil parties concerning the police officer’s shooting and the injuries found on Nahel’s body.
The tragedy had set France ablaze. Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old teenager, was killed at point-blank range by a police officer after refusing to comply, in Nanterre on June 27, 2023. This Wednesday, September 18, after more than a year of investigation, “the version of the civil parties is denied”, announce Europe 1 and the JDNewstwo media outlets from the Bolloré group which announced that they had access to the investigation file of “several thousand pages of proceedings”.
The civil parties “are contradicted by the expert assessment carried out on the vehicle”
According to Europe 1, and “contrary to what the passengers in the car claim, the police did not hit Nahel Merzouk with the butt of their pistol. The autopsy is formal, there are no traces of blows”, according to the media. In addition, the bruises on Nahel’s right arm “were caused at least 18 hours before the young man’s death. Which is therefore incompatible with the account of the civil parties”, we can read.
But that’s not all, new elements on the police officer’s shooting are also mentioned. “Nahel Merzouk pressed the start&stop button, then at the same time the brake pedal before putting the gear lever in “drive” mode and finally accelerating. Which led to the police officer’s shot being deflected, his elbow resting on the windshield of the car,” states Europe 1. However, it is not explained in the articles of the two media outlets, which proves, factually, that the four actions mentioned above were indeed carried out. Nor, why the police officer used his weapon. The civil parties “are also contradicted by the expert report carried out on the vehicle,” specifies Europe 1.
“The intention to kill is not apparent from reading the reports and expert reports (…) Throughout the investigation, the two police officers never changed their version,” the media outlet indicates. Now, the judges will have to determine whether or not the “serious and consistent evidence” can be transformed into solid “charges” to send the police officers before a court, recalls JDNews. For the time being, Florian M., the police officer who fired the shot, is being indicted for voluntary manslaughter. The second, who was near the vehicle, is being placed under the status of assisted witness for complicity in murder. The judges will deliver their verdict in the coming weeks.