Two students and an officer sentenced after the death of a cadet

It took Jallal Hami’s family to wait eight years for answers. In October 2012, this 24-year-old cadet was killed during a test of crossing a body of water organized in the middle of the night as part of an exercise in “transmission of traditions”. Eight years after the tragedy that rocked the military school of Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan (Morbihan), three men were sentenced by the Rennes criminal court. Justice has found two cadets guilty of manslaughter. Marc Assier de Pompignan was sentenced to six months suspended prison and Hugues Devolve to eight months suspended prison sentence. Colonel Hervé Vallerand received a six-month suspended sentence. The other three cadets and the other member of the hierarchy were released.

#Rennes The temperature is 7 degrees when about 150 men are about to cross the pond. The undergrowth is isolated, the night is dark and humid, despite the full moon. The rest of the story here ➡️ https://t.co/2HsYzuh72T #SaintCyr #justice @20Minutes

– Camille Allain (@CamiAllain) November 23, 2020

“A man died because I lacked moral strength. Captain Assier de Pompignan did not hide during his hearing in court in November. A second year student, he was the “system father” of the promotion and one of the main organizers of this “bahutage” night. Among the seven accused, he was one of the few to admit his wrongs. The others had all tried to clear customs, throwing responsibility between cadets and hierarchy. “In Saint-Cyr, nothing happens like elsewhere”, summarized General Francis Chanson. The one who then headed the prestigious military school was the only one of the seven defendants for whom the public prosecutor had requested the release. “The transmission of traditions without effective control would sooner or later lead to the death of a student,” had launched Philippe Astruc to justify his requests for conviction for the six other defendants.

” I’m out of breath. It’s impossible to swim ”

A first-year student, Jallal Hami had drowned while crossing a pond at night in water at 9 degrees in the grounds of the military school. It took more than an hour for the organizers to alert the hierarchy of the disappearance of the young officer cadet. The autopsy will confirm death by drowning. ” I’m out of breath. The muscles are compressed. My body tends to stay upright from the rangers. It’s impossible to swim, ”explained one of the participants after the event.

During the five days of the trial, the lawyer for Jallal Hami’s family had tried to demonstrate the responsibility of each other. “This activity was out of control, out of regulation. The investigation proved that this crossing was deliberately dangerous and that it should not have taken place, ”said Me Jean-Guillaume Le Mintier. “Jallal was left in icy water. There is a lack of security, preparation, security and intelligence ”. Eight years after the tragedy, Jallal Hami’s family will be able to close the judicial chapter, unless an appeal comes to keep it open.