In a rare critique of the French justice system, French President Emanuel Macron said that “going crazy” due to taking drugs is not a valid excuse for a lack of criminal responsibility.
“Deciding to take drugs and then ‘going crazy’ should, not in my view, take away your criminal responsibility,” Macron told the French daily Le Figaro in an interview published on Monday, AFP reported.
“I would like Justice Minister [Eric Dupond-Moretti] to present a change in the law as soon as possible,” he added.
France’s highest court ruled last week that the killer of Sarah Halimi cannot stand trial for her grisly murder because he was too high on marijuana to be criminally responsible for his actions.
When the lower court presented the original insanity ruling on the case in January of last year, Macron also criticized the ruling, albeit in a more subtle manner.
“It is not for me to comment on a court decision,” Macron told Le Figaro at the time. “But I want to assure the family, relatives of the victim and all fellow citizens of Jewish faith who were awaiting this trial of my warm support and the determination of the Republic to protect them.”
The lawyers representing Halimi’s family said they plan on referring the case to the European Court of Human Rights.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
I’m surprised Mr Macron didn’t draw a simple analogy from someone who gets high on drugs and kills someone in an automobile accident. Unbelieveable that the killer would walk away without consequences.