Retrial Requested for Convicted Accomplices in Halimi Murder
By JTA
Paris — France’s justice minister requested an appeal of the prison terms given to gang members who abetted the murder of a French Jew.
Michèle Alliot-Marie said Monday that she asked the public prosecutor’s office to appeal some of Friday’s sentences of members of the so-called “gang of Barbarians” responsible for helping torture 23-year-old Ilan Halimi to death in 2006.
A French court ruled that Halimi’s killing was partly motivated by anti-Semitism, and the leader of the Barbarians gang, Youssouf Fofana, received the maximum punishment of life in prison and 22 years without the possibility of parole.
Other gang members, however, were handed prison terms shorter than those recommended by the prosecuting attorney.
Alliot-Marie asked the city public prosecutor for a retrial of the convicted accomplices.
Jewish organizations, the Halimi family and their lawyer over the weekend criticized the lighter sentences given to Fofana’s accomplices. They planned a Monday protest.
Ruth Halimi, the victim’s mother, told the French daily Le Parisien on Sunday that the shorter sentences “didn’t serve as an example” or show that “anti-Semitism is not just a miscellaneous news item.”
However, Christophe Régnard, president of the judicial union USM, said that Alliot-Marie’s decision to appeal the Halimi verdict was “rather dangerous and worrisome for the future” because, like other leading French judges, he believed it was the result of political pressure, the French news agency AFP reported.
“Politics reasserted itself over justice,” Régnard told AFP. “I find that rather sad.”
He added that appealing a sentence because of a couple years’ difference meant that “one would have to appeal three-fourths of penal cases.”
The Jewish umbrella group CRIF congratulated Alliot-Marie’s call for an appeal.
A “silent” memorial gathering for Ilan Halimi is planned for Monday evening in Paris.
The Jewish Daily Forward welcomes reader comments in order to promote thoughtful discussion on issues of importance to the Jewish community. In the interest of maintaining a civil forum, The Jewish Daily Forwardrequires that all commenters be appropriately respectful toward our writers, other commenters and the subjects of the articles. Vigorous debate and reasoned critique are welcome; name-calling and personal invective are not. While we generally do not seek to edit or actively moderate comments, our spam filter prevents most links and certain key words from being posted and The Jewish Daily Forward reserves the right to remove comments for any reason.
“I don’t want to say, ‘Oh oh, I’m not Jewish,’ because when you say that, you sound like someone trying to get into a 1950s country club, “and I love the idea of being Jewish." Are you a fan of Seth Meyers? 
"If you want my advice: more Palestinians, more checkpoints, just more reality." What do you think? 
Happy birthday Barbra Streisand! Our favorite Funny Girl turns 72 today. 
Clueless parenting advice from the star of "Clueless." 
Why won't the city give an answer? 
BREAKING NEWS: Israel has officially suspended peace talks with the Palestinians. 
Can you guess what the most boring job in the army is? 
What the foolish rabbi of Chelm teaches us about Israel and the Palestinian unity deal: 
Mazel tov to Idina Menzel on making Variety "Power of Women" cover! http://jd.fo/f3Mms 
"How much should I expect him and/or ask him to participate? Is it enough to have one parent reciting the prayers and observing the holidays?" What do you think? 
New York and Montreal have been at odds for far too long. Stop the bagel wars, sign our bagel peace treaty! 
Really, can you blame them? 
“How I Stopped Hating Women of the Wall and Started Talking to My Mother.” Will you see it? 
Taglit-Birthright Israel is redefining who they consider "Jewish" after a 17% drop in registration from 2011-2013. Is the "propaganda tag" keeping young people away? 
Happy birthday William Shakespeare! Turns out, the Bard knew quite a bit about Jews. 
from-cache
Copyright © 2014, The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved.
You've successfully signed up!
