The verdict fell, this Friday, March 26, at the assize trial which had been held since Monday in Digne-les-Bains. Found guilty of the murder of Julien Boumlil, 26, and that of his childhood friend Gabriel Ferchal, 25, Vincent Mérino was sentenced to 25 years in prison. His brother Frédéric was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. Reactions to the outcome of the sentencing.
The verdict came after four hours of deliberation. By an absolute majority, Vincent Mérino was sentenced this Friday, May 26 to 25 years of criminal imprisonment, accompanied by a security sentence set at two-thirds (i.e. approximately 17 years without the possibility of leaving), and a socio-judicial follow-up of five years. . His brother Frédéric was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Thursday 25, the fourth day devoted to the double murder of Revest-du-Bion on December 3, 2019 ended with the pleadings of the two defense lawyers, Mes Marie Beluch and Eric Passet (Aix-en-Provence Bar). This Friday at 9 a.m., before the court retired to deliberate, the floor was given to the two accused: Vincent Mérino (36 years old) tried for the murders of Julien Boumlil, shot at 26 with two shotgun bullets, and that of his childhood friend Gabriel Ferchal, a 25-year-old father.
Frédéric Mérino was prosecuted for concealment of corpses
On Thursday, Advocate General Rémy Avon had requested 30 years of criminal imprisonment, with a security sentence of 15 years for Vincent Mérino, and 20 months for his brother who has already served ten months in preventive detention. Frédéric addressed the relatives of the victims: “I know this is unforgivable, but I ask forgiveness from the families”. A pardon already strongly rejected a few days ago by Julien’s parents. “No forgiveness! No pity!” thundered the father.
For the first time on Friday, Vincent did the same: “What I did is unforgivable. I broke two families beyond repair. What I can say or do will not be able to erase anything. I regret every day” . Not sure that these words appease the parents whose life has been suspended since the tragic disappearance of the two young men. This trial, they waited impatiently while dreading it. They remained dignified and welcomed the verdict with relief. For Valérie, Julien’s mother, “it’s not bad”. Mahmoud, the dad, would have preferred that the accused who stole their son’s life “take the maximum sentence. There are two of them who are under the ground! They are still alive”. The sentence pronounced suits Sylvie, mother of Gabriel. “We hope they won’t appeal, it would last even longer. We’ve been waiting for this for three and a half years. After a while, it has to stop, it’s unbearable”.
As for the family lawyers, the Carcassonnais Franck Alberti notes that “for the victims, it is never enough. But they have recognized the usefulness of these meetings and they are generally satisfied, both with the result and the organization of this trial which has helped them a lot. Even if there will remain gray areas. They are reassured by the two-thirds security sentence because the question everyone is asking is ‘When will he come out?’. Justice is passed and, as the Advocate General said, the judicial shroud is laid. And perhaps Julien and Gabriel will be able to sleep in peace”.
“A call would be a reopening of the wounds”
For mee Beluch, lawyer for Frédéric Mérino, “the decision for my client is fair and measured”. She hopes that this will repair the sentence of the civil parties. Regarding Vincent Mérino “it is a sentence which is heavy”, in the opinion of Me pass. His client has ten days to appeal. What he did not envisage this Friday and which his lawyer approves: “An appeal procedure is a reopening of wounds for the victims and we are not in a process of contestation, but rather in recognition of their status of victims. The decision rendered, even if it is heavy, still thinks of the social rehabilitation and reintegration of the convicted person”.
