Xynthia trial. “It’s disgusting, what are you doing to our emotion” – Ouest-France

The former mayor of La Faute-sur-Mer, René Maratier, had his sentence greatly reduced Poitiers Appeal Court in the trial of Xynthia trial that has killed 29 people in the only common Vendée.

this “appeasement decision” for the defense of the former mayor was greeted by cries of many civil parties in the room.

Disappointed and frustrated “It’s despicable, it’s disgusting, you make what our emotion to us? We lost people, you make what? “, launched Gisele Arnault, who lost his father during the storm, while René Marratier speaking on the steps of the courthouse’s ” thoughts “ and ” strong compassion “ for the victims and their families. Civil parties are “very disappointed, frustrated, but they accept” , said Corinne Lepage, lawyer of Avif, the association of victims, 115 of the 146 plaintiffs. “They do not quite understand this decision, in fact (…), but they are Republicans and they accept court decisions” , she said.

“punishment too lenient” “The message we wanted, it was a safety message, prevention . This is not the case. (…) Is left to mayors, mayors tomorrow we leave do to build in flood zones. The punishment is not severe enough “, said the president of the Avif Renaud Pinoit, while expressing satisfaction with the penalty of ineligibility imposed on René Marratier.

the court of appeal “recognizes the honesty of Mr. Marratier admits that he did not want the deaths (…)” and “holds a responsibility because he did not understand, he did not hear the warnings that he may have “, supported Didier Seban, one of the lawyers of the former mayor, always advise News from the Vendée seaside resort.

neither negligence and breach the ruling Monday is far short of the demands of the prosecution, which had asked four years in prison, two farm against René Marratier, in addition to his ineligibility. The Advocate General Thierry Phelippeau also requested prison sentences, partly accompanied suspended, against two other defendants. René Marratier was sentenced because of his poor risk management and relief for its citizens but the court decided to release him and the other defendants, for issuing building permits in flood zones. According to the judgment, the elected did not commit “or faults or failings” , and were not “responsible for mistakes prefectural services’ .