His arrest may have provoked mortar fire towards the firefighters at Compiègne. But he is not judged for that. Amadou-Bedy Ba22 years old, appears for violence and rebellion towards a policemanon the night of Thursday December 12 to Friday December 13.
That night, before midnight, he stood near the lobby of the building at 3 square Berlioz, Clos-des-Roses district. One of the most famous deal spots in the city. The police came as reinforcements, to secure the intervention of a company responsible for installing video surveillance cameras.
Shouts to warn that the police are coming
“Stink-stink! It’s happening!” hear the police. It is “the warning cry” of drug trafficking lookouts, when the police approach, comments the president.
The police patrol heads towards ten hooded individuals. “They apprehend the individual they believe to be the author of these cries,” continues the president. He and the police officer who wants to arrest him are on each side of the railing leading to the hall, which is continually squatted.
The police officer reports a shoulder blow, which caused him to tip over and fall. So he took out his taser, with which he hit himself on the wrist. With the second shot, he hit the young man. On arrival, the police officer was left without two days of total incapacity for work.
“I struggled but I didn’t land any punches”
“Me and the police officer know each other very well,” comments the defendant. But I did not commit any intentional violence. I apologized to him that evening. He even offered to take me to the hospital. But I more wanted it to be the police officer who went to the hospital.” In the box, he recognizes the rebellion but not the violence.
“He grabbed me in the chest, held my arm, he tased me… lists the defendant. But I didn’t push my shoulder. If I hit him on the shoulder, it was unintentional.” He agrees, however, that he was “in the wrong”.
Why did he shout when the police arrived? “The adrenaline, I was scared…” he explains. The president wants us to stop “beating around the bush”. “What is 3 square Berlioz?” she asks. “It’s a place where drug trafficking takes place,” he replies. And the civil servants are there to manage.” It means “to monitor”. “You did not shout that at Place de la Mairie, but at Square Berlioz…” insists the president.
Regarding the fact that he was wearing a hood, he explains that it was not to hide his face. “I’m nervous…” he says.
In the process, mortar fire at Mermoz square
The patrol driver confirms the sequence of events, as explained by his colleague. “He insulted the police copiously,” he says. And he let himself be carried around like a dead weight, even though he seemed completely conscious.”
“We smoked cigarettes, joints, alcohol, in the hall…” he confirms about his presence. He refuses to say with whom, to avoid reprisals.
In prison since this arrest, he says he did not know that other young people had fired mortars at the firefighters. This happened on the other side of Avenue Weygand, at Square Mermoz. These mortar shots could be revenge linked to this arrest.
The accused has six entries in his record
The defendant has six entries in his criminal record. Half as a minor. The rest after reaching the age of majority: use and driving under narcotics, rodeo, driving without a license and without insurance. He spent several months in prison for not paying the fine he received.
Single, without children, registered with the local Mission, he has no income. “I live with my mother,” he said. “She’s the one who pays for your cigarettes, your cannabis, your fines…” laments the president. “It’s unacceptable, ma’am,” he admits.
“The evenings at Square Berlioz, will they change things? she asks. Consuming narcotics seems to bring you more problems than anything else…” “I’ve been thinking about it over the last three years,” he assures. It’s not the life I want…” He plans to treat his cannabis addiction.
“In the crowd, the police officer tasered himself on the wrist”
Maître Charlotte de Boislaville, lawyer for the civil party, requests €1,000 for the physical and moral damage of the police officer who fell to the ground.
“Initially, the police did not even come to the point of the deal, but came as reinforcements to secure the installation of cameras,” she recalls. And then everyone starts screaming. Including the gentleman who tries to escape his control. The police officer is injured in the course of his activities. It does not matter whether this is voluntary on the part of the accused. Three other police officers say that this gentleman tried by all means to escape. The shoulder blow threw the police officer onto the railing and then to the ground. In the crowd, the police officer tasered himself in the wrist. He injured his left wrist and knee.”
In addition to the damage, the lawyer is asking for €800 in legal costs for her client. “On arrival, the police, treated as “sons of bitches” or told to “go fuck your mother”, were not even able to secure this building lobby.”
The prosecutor requests a suspended sentence
“He was determined to escape,” notes the prosecutor. Consequence of this rebellion: the police station is deprived of an official for the days to come. When you have the gentleman’s criminal record, this requires greater caution and reflection. He has to take responsibility.”
It requires seven months in prison suspended for two years. With obligation to work, to receive addiction treatment, to complete a citizenship course and to repair the damage.”
The court orders a prison sentence
Maître Pierre-Jean Szymanski considers this required sentence appropriate. “The events which followed (mortar fire on firefighters) are only the result of other offenders,” he argues. My client is the first to sincerely regret it. He couldn’t mobilize himself to get out of all this. In this case, we have three police officers who have the same version. How strange… I won’t go any further.”
The defense lawyer recalls that his client “has not remained completely idle in recent years”.
“I admit my faults,” said the defendant, last to speak. He was sentenced to seven months in prison, five of which were suspended for two years. A sentence accompanied by the required obligations. Kept in detention for the fixed part of two months, he will have to pay the police officer €1,000 in damages and €800 in lawyer fees.
