LIVE – Trial of Alexandre Benalla: the journey of the accused to the heart of the first day of hearing – LCI

In July 2018, his name was at the heart of a media and political storm that shook the Elysee to its foundations. Three years after the resounding scandal, Alexandre Benalla is returned this Monday to the Paris Criminal Court. Targeted by six judicial inquiries, including one closed, he will respond in particular to “willful violence in meetings” and “untitled interference in the exercise of a public function” in particular.

He will be tried until October 1 for two cases, the first for brutalizing a couple on May 1, 2018, the second for using two diplomatic passports after his dismissal from the presidency of the Republic.

He will have to explain himself, like his co-defendant, the ex-employee of En Marche Vincent Crase, on his actions on Place de la Contrescarpe.

Now 30 years old and converted into the private sector, he is expected at 1:30 p.m. in court for a first hearing devoted to procedural issues and a summary of the investigations.

Starting point of the case, Alexandre Benalla had been identified in the heart of the summer of 2018 by the newspaper The world on a video where he appeared with a helmet of the police, brutalizing a woman and a man place de la Contrescarpe in Paris. From “necessary gestures” and not a “beating”, has always affirmed Alexandre Benalla, who maintains to have had a “citizen reflex” in “challenging” from “police attackers”.

Problem, that day, Alexandre Benalla should only have an observer role, without participating in the maintenance of order. Sanctioned by a 15-day suspension, he initially kept an office at the Elysee Palace, as revealed in the evening daily.

Revelations that set fire to the powder, the opposition denounced a “state matter” and a judicial inquiry was opened. The result had poisoned the executive for months, thanks to revelations in the press and hearings of parliamentary committees of inquiry in the National Assembly and the Senate.

Alexandre Benalla will also have to answer for the use of two diplomatic passports, after his dismissal from the Elysee, during trips to Africa and Israel. He is also suspected of having obtained a service passport by producing a false document – which he disputes.

He will also appear for “carrying a weapon” unauthorized in April 2017 in Poitiers, during Emmanuel Macron’s presidential campaign. a “water gun”, assured the person concerned. Alexandre Benalla faces up to seven years in prison and a 100,000 euros fine.

Two officials from the Paris police headquarters will be tried for having transmitted, just after the explosion of the case, CCTV images to Alexandre Benalla.