Business of Bruay-in-Artois

The business of Bruay Artois indicates the murder in 1972 of Brigitte Dewèvre, a famous fact various which caused a debate on the “justice of class”.

The investigation

The April 6th 1972, this 16 year old teenager, girl of minor, is found died on a waste ground of Bruay-in-Artois, quoted mining of the Pas-de-Calais. Henri Pascal, first examining magistrate with Béthune, is in charge of the investigation. Quickly, the notary Pierre Leroy and his partner Monique Beghin-Mayeur, whose property is next to the ground on which the victim was found, are suspected and accused. After a few months of investigation under strong media pressure, Pascal judge, who is in open conflict with his hierarchy, is deprived of the business; Leroy and Monique Beghin-Mayeur are released. Jean-Pierre Flahaut, a comrade of the victim, is accused in his turn and is écroué.

A suspected time, he will be imprisoned. The parents of the young Brigitte refuse to go civil part. Jean-Pierre Flahaut will be discharged. A withdrawal of case will be pronounced for Me Leroy and Mrs. Beghin-Mayeur.

Another track was evoked, that of the " Man with the imperméable" ; a man who gardened, not far from the place of discovered body of the victim, remembered to have seen a man equipped into impermeable coming from the place where was discovered Brigitte, at the estimated hour of the crime. This track was not exploited by the police services.

Initially classified " Business without continuation " in 1981, the business was prescribed in 2005, the murderers were never stopped.

Developments

The organization Maoist the proletarian Left account on the spot some militants of which Joseph Tournel, Serge July and François Ewald (then professor of philosophy with Bruay-in-Artois), which sets up a committee charged to help the “small judge” in his investigation. The militants of the Committee Truth and Justice seize the subject, denouncing the dispossession of judge Pascal and a “justice of class” favorable to the rich, in whom stripped the means do not have of defending oneself. The Maoists of the proletarian Left, who are not with their first attempt, will try to set up a “popular court” on the model of that, chaired by Jean-Paul Sartre, whom they had gone up to judge the persons in charge of the firedamp explosion of Fouquières in 1970.

Largely mediatized under the impulse of Pascal judge, this debate concerning the place of the people in the establishment of Justice traverses also all the political field. It will export columns of the Cause of the People to the articles of the Modern times , where the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, the leaders of the proletarian Left and Michel Foucault will be opposed on the definition of popular justice.

External bonds

1972 : The business of Bruay in Artois , Radio France
Daniel Soulez Larivière: Outreau and then nothing , paxatagore.org
Outreau and then nothing , by Daniel Soulez-Larivière ( Le Monde )
the news item in all its states , sociomedia-europe.com

Random links: