France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, found deceased, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 #2

[ZaZara]

Essential points from the original source:

Affaire Maëlys : le procès hors norme de Nordahl Lelandais se prépare

Maëlys case: the unprecedented trial of Nordahl Lelandais is being planned

The former military dog handler will be tried from 31 January for the murder of little Maëlys and for sexual assaults on two of his five- and six-year-old girl cousins during the same summer of 2017

The Grenoble courthouse is preparing for the unprecedented trial of Nordahl Lelandais who will be tried from the end of January for a murder that has unleashed passions, that of little Maëlys, and for sexual assaults on other minors.

The 38-year-old former soldier will be taken from prison to appear before the court of assizes of Isere for the "murder of Maëlys De Araujo, preceded by the kidnapping and sequestration" of this child aged eight years, murdered in 2017, according to the order of indictment.

The former military dog handler is also on trial for sexual assaults on two of his five- and six-year-old girl cousins in the same summer of 2017, and for possession and recording of child *advertiser censored*. This will be his second trial in less than a year: last May, this man with a chaotic professional and sentimental history was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Corporal Arthur Noyer in Chambéry.

The Grenoble trial promises to be even more resounding because of his actions and the age of his victim, combined with his dark personality and notoriety. For Pascale Vernay, the first president of the Grenoble Court of Appeal, "the main challenge is the presence of the media", with already more than 130 journalists for about thirty media. "This is not a particularly unusual case in terms of the facts [...]. But we were well aware that this case would attract many media from all over France," she emphasises.

The organisation of this eventful trial was anticipated a long time ago, notably by sending observers to the Chambéry court of assizes. The Grenoble courthouse, built 20 years ago, has the advantage of being much more modern and functional than the one in Chambéry, which dates from the 19th century.

To cope with the influx of journalists and the public, the organisers obtained additional funds to open a second room with 60 seats and video transmission. They also increased security both inside and outside the building.

The trial is scheduled for three weeks (31 January to 18 February), a rare length for this kind of case. "You never know how a hearing will go. [...] For safety's sake, we preferred to count on three weeks, even if it means that it could be over before then," Ms Vernay explains.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Shocked to see this picture of Joachim de Araujo, father of Maëlys. I hardly recognize him....

Meurtre de Maëlys en 2017 : à quelques semaines du procès de Nordahl Lelandais, le père de la fillette témoigne


Maëlys' murder in 2017: a few weeks before the trial of Nordahl Lelandais, the girl's father speaks out

The murder of his daughter during a wedding party on 27 August 2017 in Pont-de-Beauvoisin (Isère) shattered his life. In Paris, Joachim de Araujo, the father of Maëlys, confides his expectations, his distress, but also his desire to be worthy of his daughter.

Nordahl Lelandais, who for months denied his involvement in the abduction and murder of little Maëlys, 8, during a wedding party on August 27, 2017 in Pont-de-Beauvoisin (Isère), will be judged from January 31 before the Assize Court of Isère, in Grenoble. A trial which Joachim de Araujo, the girl's father, hopes will place his daughter at the centre of the debates and which will not only put the spotlight on the accused who, according to him, "does not deserve it". In an interview with Le Parisien, this man whose life "exploded", confided in us about his expectations, his distress, but also his desire to be worthy of his daughter.

Today he explains that this drama has shattered his life. "I lost everything in a few seconds. We were a happy family, with beautiful children. And my life exploded." The man explains that he divorced his wife and lost his job. "I don't know what to hold on to anymore. My whole life has been shattered. I know that this pain will always be there."

If the father of the family now puts his trust in the justice system, he assures us that he expects nothing from the accused himself during the upcoming trial. "I expect nothing from this murderer, this child killer, this paedophile. I leave it to the justice system. I hope for a sentence commensurate with what he did to my daughter," he said.

Joachim de Araujo, as well as his relatives, have had a very hard time with Nordahl Lelendais' stubbornness in denying his involvement in his daughter's disappearance. "We always had a tiny hope in thinking that Maëlys could have been kidnapped by a family desperate for children. We were still hoping to see her again. And after six months, when the gendarmes found irrefutable evidence (a tiny trace of Maëlys' blood in the trunk of the suspect's car) and Lelandais was forced to confess, everything collapsed," he told Le Parisien.

He is convinced that Lelandais will continue to lie at the trial, as he has, in his opinion, always done. "For me he will not tell the truth. He will tell his truth. I do not believe in the accidental death of my daughter as he says. Nor do I believe that it was a simple night-time walk to see his dogs. At 3 o'clock in the morning, you don't kidnap a child for a walk, for a visit to the animals. He knew very well what he was going to do. It was premeditated."

"I often think about the ordeal my daughter had to go through. And it hurts me to know that she must have tried to call for help. And that unfortunately, we were not there to hear her, to defend her. This is hard for a father.

He not only believes that his daughter was murdered, but also maintains that she was sexually assaulted, even though no evidence has been gathered in this regard. Joachim de Araujo describes the accused as "a pervert, a paedophile. He kidnapped her to abuse her," he said, adding: "For me, Lelandais is a monster.

Deeply bruised and inconsolable, Joachim de Araujo will only attend the trial of his daughter's murder "to honour her memory. I want to be worthy of my daughter. And remain strong for her. Afterwards, I don't care what Lelandais says. I repeat, I expect nothing from him. For me, the most important thing is my daughter. I know that she hears me. I want to tell her that I love her. And that she will always be in my heart."


BBM


This is so sad. When the parents got married, I'd really hoped that they would pull through together, but apparently that did not happen. That man is not even a shadow of his former self.... So very sad. Let's hope the trial will bring them all some closure.

 

[Niner]

RS&BBM


March 38? Someone forced you to post this at gunpoint? I do hope you are okay, Niner!

No the person who typed this up must have had one too many...

 

[Niner]

That is sad that he is now divorced & so torn up by his daughter's death. I do hope he gets justice & a bit of closure and can at least so what go on with his life.

edited to add: I didn't realize the 2 minor girls' cases will tried also. I have changed my notes.

 

[ZaZara]

While the parents of Maëlys lost their daughter, their family life and their marriage, the life of the perpetrator, in prison for the murder of Arthur Noyer, was somewhat different.

The original source of both articles is a report in Le Dauphiné, but almost everything is behind a paywall there. So we'll make do with what we have. Both publications mention the original source.

Nordahl Lelandais : ses étranges demandes à son ex-compagne

As Nordahl Lelandais awaits the opening of his trial for the murder of Maëlys on 31 January in Grenoble, his ex-girlfriend Elisabeth said she had provided him with mobile phones, rum and cocaine while he was in prison. Last December, two mobile phones were found in his possession. At the time, Nordahl Lelandais was still in a relationship with Elisabeth, before they broke up just after Christmas. In early January, the investigators decided to interview the fifty-year-old to determine if she was the person who provided him with the mobile phones.

According to the Dauphiné Libéré, Elisabeth revealed that she was indeed the one who had given him these objects in prison. "In September 2021, I brought him two smartphones that he demanded, made entirely of plastic, of which he had given me the brand and model, because they did not ring at the security gate," she explained, assuring that she had been "used" by the prisoner. She added: "I also brought him two chargers, three SIM cards, two grams of cocaine and rum during my visits, hiding them on me."

The social worker now describes Nordahl Lelandais as a "guru" and a "jealous and possessive" person. However, at the beginning of their relationship, two years ago, she was not overly concerned about this violent temperament. "I saw the man before the acts. That's probably my big mistake. What he did, I was always very clear with him: I do not condone, I do not forgive, I do not find any extenuating circumstances," she said.


https://www.femmeactuelle.fr/actu/n...les-dessous-de-leurs-rapports-intimes-2127365


Despite his placement in solitary confinement, Nordahl Lelandais had a relationship with a woman for two and a half years. A story that ended in December 2021. Named Elisabeth and aged 50, the latter gave a filmed interview to the Dauphiné Libéré on Saturday 15 January 2022. The ex-companion of the detainee spoke in particular about the couple's intimate relationship. And according to her statements, Nordahl Lelandais would have had an unhealthy behavior. "I realised when I got to know him a little more intimately, with a little more closeness, that I was most certainly mistaken about the person. He has a relationship with sexuality that is a bit disturbing, that is violent."


During this interview, Elisabeth also explained the place taken in her life by this relationship. "I spent almost 200 hours in a visiting room with him, I was able to benefit from a family visiting room and 24-hour UVF (Unité de Vie Familiale, editor's note). A real relationship that even led this inhabitant of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region to join Nordahl Lelandais' family circle. To the point of going to the funeral of the father of her companion at the time in January 2021. However, after three years, the fifty-year-old finally chose to break with Nordahl Lelandais. "He deceived me about his feelings towards me, I don't think he had any at all. I was a tool for him, a tool to bring him what he needed materially, affectionately, sexually," she told the media. And to conclude: "It's over, I don't want to hear any more about Nordahl Lelandais, near or far.


BBM


UVF is a familial unit, a small apartment within the prison, with living room, kitchen and two bedrooms. Great place to sniff cocaine unsupervised.

 

[Niner]

That is quite outrageous that he got cocaine!?!! Geez - well at least she won't be supplying him anymore... I don't even think he should be getting these "familial" visits either! Should be locked up 23 hours a day!!

Maybe he will once this trial is over - hopefully!

Thanks for that article @ZaZara !

 

[ZaZara]

"Il nous a éteints à petit feu": avant le procès Lelandais, les parents de Maëlys se confient

"He has extinguished our lives little by little": ahead of the Lelandais trial, the parents of Maëlys speak with us

Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel and Joachim de Araujo confide in us about their expectations on the eve of the trial of their daughter's alleged murderer and the impossible return to a normal life.

"He's been lying for four years". The trial of Nordahl Lelandais is due to begin on 31 January in Grenoble for "the crime of murder of Maëlys de Araujo, preceded by the kidnapping and captivity of the child". Since the disappearance of the 8-year-old girl on the night of 26 to 27 August 2017, her parents are living "a torture". They spoke to Le Dauphiné.

At the dawn of the trial, Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel and Joachim de Araujo nevertheless have little hope of finally knowing the truth. "We will have to put up with the lies of this individual. Only he knows the truth," Maëlys' mother explains.

"He has made us wait and we are still waiting (...). For us, it was unbearable. While, since 28 August 2017, we knew it was him. He made us endure an agony. He extinguished us slowly. We'll find it hard to believe what he's going to tell us anyway," she continued.

Even if they forbid themselves "to imagine the worst", Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel and Joachim de Araujo hope the trial will reveal the truth about their daughter's murder.

"She would never have gone away with a stranger, it's not possible. Maybe he will finally tell us how he got her into his car and then took her away. Except that from the beginning, he has not admitted to anything," the mother says.

The two parents are apprehensive about the opening of the trial, but above all, they are "looking forward to it".

"What I'm most looking forward to is the final verdict," says Joachim de Araujo.

He wants Nordhal Lelandais "to stay in prison as long as possible, because he is a danger to society." The former dog handler has already been sentenced in May 2021 to 20 years in prison for the murder of Corporal Arthur Noyer.

"In prison, he will stop hurting people. When he is 70, he will still be a predator. He will always be bad. There are many recidivists in France. I'm afraid he'll get out and do it again. That he will make families and children suffer again," Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel continues.

Their life, however, "hangs by a thread". Since the tragedy, the couple has separated and the father has lost his job.
" Our band of four has been dissolved," the girl's mother regrets.

A return to a seemingly normal life is impossible but "unfortunately, the time machine has not been invented", she continues.

"I had a family, we got along well. Children, a wife, a job. And then all of a sudden, there's nothing left. What can I hold on to now? I live in a state of deep sadness (...). I forbid myself to do things. Normal things in life," Joachim de Araujo says.

However, the arrival of the trial brings a small ray of hope. "Maëlys, despite being 8 years old, has managed to put a murderer in prison," says Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel. But it is difficult for the parents to know how they will react when the time comes. "Everything that comes out of his mouth is venom. Hearing it might make me physically tense. How to stay calm...," Maëlys' father wonders.


BBM


The original video with the interview can be found here:
Vidéo. Les parents de Maëlys se confient : « Notre vie se maintient sur un fil »

The interview is terribly sad. The parents sit there, wringing their hands. The mother can barely hold her tears back, the father has twitches in his face that he did not have before. Their voices are broken.
All of a sudden, in the background, a big cat jumps onto a cupboard and starts to eat. The contrast with the two persons at the table makes their grief and sadness even more palpable.

Sigh.

 

[ZaZara]

Téléphones, drogue en prison... Les propos de l'ex-compagne de Lelandais sont contestables, selon un représentant syndical du centre pénitentiaire de Saint-Quentin-Fallavier

Telephones, drugs in prison... The claims of Lelandais' ex-girlfriend are questionable, according to a union representative of the Saint-Quentin-Fallavier prison


A former companion of Nordahl Lelandais claims in the press to have visited him many times in detention and to have given him drugs. According to a union representative of the prison where the former soldier is incarcerated, these statements are highly questionable.

Paris-Match, Le Dauphiné Libéré, Touche pas à mon poste... A few days before the opening of the trial of Nordahl Lelandais for the murder of little Maëlys, one of his ex-girlfriends gives many details in the media on his relationship with the prisoner and his daily life in prison.

She is in her fifties and came into contact with the former dog handler almost at the beginning of his incarceration. She quickly requested a visit permit, presenting herself as a friend. A social enquiry was opened concerning her, as is the case for any request for a visit.

According to Alain Chevallier, UFAP secretary at the Saint-Quentin-Fallavier prison (Isère) where Nordahl Lelandais is being held, the visits he was granted at the time were not abnormal. But the union representative wondered about the 180 visits she said she had had with the former soldier.

"A detainee is generally entitled to one visit per week. If this lady came as often as she says, she took the place of another person," he said. The mother of Nordahl Lelandais, in particular, often visits her son.

The ex-girlfriend also says she has seen the detainee several times in the family life unit (UVF). This is a visit during which prisoners and visitors are alone, in a more intimate way.

To obtain a FVU, a request must be made to the director of the establishment," explains Alain Chevallier. The request is examined by a multidisciplinary commission, a CPU, made up of judicial actors such as the integration and probation services. An opinion is given. Then, it is an examining magistrate who gives or withholds his approval.

This is the procedure when the detainee is on trial, which is still the case for Nordahl Lelandais. For convicted prisoners, it is the prison that decides.

At the time of this request for UVF, the fifty-year-old now presents herself as the companion of Nordahl Lelandais. "All prisoners are entitled to UVF," Alain Chevallier explains.

What raises questions is the duration of these meetings. According to the ex-girlfriend, one of them lasted 24 hours. However, a UVF can last up to 72 hours. During these visits, she claims to have illegally passed cocaine, rum, mobile phones, etc. to Nordahl Lelandais.

These revelations follow the discovery of two mobile phones belonging to the former dog handler. One in his cell, the second in the cell of another prisoner who kept it for him and passed it through the window.

These practices are said to be common in prison. Objects circulate from cell to cell through the windows, some recovered using the so-called yo-yo method. As for the way in which objects and drugs enter the establishment, this can be done over the walls but also during visiting hours.

Since the 2009 prison law, visitors are no longer systematically body searched before meeting prisoners. However, staff have the right to search a detainee after a visit in case of doubt.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

That is quite outrageous that he got cocaine!?!! Geez - well at least she won't be supplying him anymore... I don't even think he should be getting these "familial" visits either! Should be locked up 23 hours a day!!

Maybe he will once this trial is over - hopefully!

Thanks for that article @ZaZara !

Affaire Maëlys / Nordahl Lelandais . Déclarations de l’ex-compagne de Lelandais : la révolte des mères de Maëlys et d’Arthur Noyer

A former companion of Nordahl Lelandais admitted yesterday on our website that she had given him mobile phones, drugs and rum in prison, in defiance of the controls.

Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel, Maëlys' mother, expressed her anger on Facebook. "Sickening and disrespectful to Maëlys. How can he have all these privileges? Solitary confinement in prison is what it is in France. Justice needs to show some humanity towards the victims of these monsters."

The ex-girlfriend also mentioned in our article the reaction that the same Lelandais would have had with her, after his conviction to 20 years of imprisonment for the murder of Corporal Noyer. A statement that aroused the indignation of Cécile Noyer-Maltet, the mother of Corporal Noyer. "Today, I can't believe what I've just read in this article. The other one, your murderer, "is offended to have been given so much prison time, because we didn't understand him, he was expecting less, eight or ten years."


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

"Il a consulté des sites pédopornographiques" juste avant l’enlèvement de Maëlys : la question de la pédophilie au cœur du second procès de Nordahl Lelandais

Starting on 31 January, the former soldier will appear in court for the murder of little Maëlys and for the assault on two of his second cousins. Child *advertiser censored* videos were found on his computer during the investigation. The question of his alleged paedophile tendencies is therefore the major issue of this new trial.

Back to court for Nordahl Lelandais.

Eight months after the court of Chambéry sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment for killing Corporal Arthur Noyer, the thirty-something must once again face a murder charge in Grenoble.

And it is another facet of the character that should occupy the debates: that of his alleged inclinations towards children.

If in the case of Maëlys, no material element could prove the sexual motive, the lawyer of the father of the girl intends to put the question at the heart of the trial.

"We know that a few hours before presenting himself as a surprise guest at this wedding, he consulted child *advertiser censored* sites," Laurent Boguet argues. "We know that, for example, this little girl had been stripped of part of her hair, that there were strands that had been cut off. The clothes bore traces of tearing. In short, I don't believe that he simply kidnapped this girl to allow her to visit the dogs at his home, as he has always claimed."

A conviction that the facts revealed later only reinforced. During the investigation, the police found numerous videos on the computer and on the phones of the former dog handler.

Among them: the sexual assault of two little cousins aged 4 and 6. These cases will also be judged during this second trial before the Isère Assizes.

"He admitted the facts during the investigation. He was shown videos because Nordahl Lelandais filmed himself attacking these little girls," according to Caroline Rémond, lawyer for the family of Nordahl Lelandais' second cousins. "The profile takes on a particular dimension because he filmed himself without filming the children's faces. He is about to broadcast these videos. And this is one of the components of sexual predators in general."

To the investigators, Nordahl Lelandais had explained that he could no longer distinguish between women and children under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

Since then, the man has undergone five psychiatric examinations, one of which was rejected by the defence as being too biased.

Their conclusions will undoubtedly be decisive.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Procès Lelandais : "Nous veillerons à faire vivre le souvenir de cette fillette innocente", témoigne l'avocat de la mère de Maëlys



The girl's mother is represented by Fabien Rajon, lawyer at the Lyon bar.

A few days before the opening of the trial, her counsel reviews the preparation for this extraordinary hearing.

What is the state of mind of Maëlys' family?

As the deadline approaches, I feel that this family, still deeply bruised by the murder and kidnapping of their daughter, is determined. They know that these trials are first and foremost an ordeal, but I believe, more than four years after the events, that it is now time that justice is done.

How do you prepare them for the trial?

I've been with them since the first days of the case and I talk a lot with Maëlys' mother. At the office, we work together on this case, we exchange with one another, we compare our points of view. I try to report to my clients on the progress of our work, while explaining the stakes of the upcoming trial.

What advice do you give them?

To consider the trials for what they are: a very hard ordeal for them and their loved ones. At the office, we have to be ready for this meeting, but on the other hand, I prefer that they don't get their hopes up too much for these three weeks of trial.

I think this is the case. In particular, they are very aware of the fact that there is not much to expect from Lelandais' words.

What do you retain from the first trial of Nordahl Lelandais for the murder of Arthur Noyer?

One indisputable truth, which is not disputed by Lelandais himself: he has already killed. Nordahl Lelandais will therefore appear on Monday 31 January before the court of assizes with a criminal record bearing mention of a first murder, that of Corporal Noyer.

What do you expect from the psychological and psychiatric expertises? What can they reveal about Nordahl Lelandais?

We will see when the time comes. That will be the whole point of the trial, because I have the expert reports in the file, but, in principle, the word of the experts, in the trial court and in front of the jurors, is likely to enlighten the debates.

Nordahl Lelandais is also on trial for sexual assaults on two young cousins. Are these facts necessarily likely to support the thesis of a sexual motive concerning Maëlys?

I am careful not to put the accused on trial before it has begun. All I can tell you is that the personality of Nordahl Lelandais will certainly be one of the key subjects of these three weeks of hearings.

Nordahl Lelandais is on trial for the murder and abduction of Maëlys. Rape was not retained, nor was premeditation. Will you still bring up these elements during the trial?

The investigating judges did not retain the qualification of rape against Lelandais. This was a disappointment for the family.

As civil parties, we had no room for manoeuvre on this issue and we had to comply with their decision. Will we talk about it when the time comes? I, for one, don't hold anything back.

How do you think you can convince the jury on these two points?

We have a few cards to play at the trial. Let me not reveal my strategy before the hearing has begun.

What is the point that worries you, or the one that you have worked on in particular?

My role is to accompany my clients, to advise them and to defend them. I may have a small advantage compared to other actors in the case that I will meet again during these three weeks of trials, it is my experience.

This case is not just 23,000 pages of proceedings, it is four years of my life. I'm not really worried about anything, I just have to be ready for the upcoming deadline. And I think I am.

During the first trial of Nordahl Lelandais, his lawyer insisted on the role of the media which, he said, had presented his client as a monster. Do you expect the same line of defence?

Everyone will have their own line of defence, everyone will be in their own lane. But I am sure that we will all, in our place, ensure the dignity of these three weeks of trials. This will in no way prevent us, on the contrary, from defending our clients with vigour.

Like Maëlys' father, do you fear that Maëlys will be "left out" of this trial, which will logically focus on Nordahl Lelandais?

In law, this fear is, unfortunately, somewhat founded. For the trial of the assizes as governed by the code of criminal procedure is first and foremost that of the accused. The court must judge the personality of the accused and the facts of which he is accused.

However, beyond the law, we will ensure that the memory of this innocent girl who was cowardly torn from this life that evening at the end of summer 2017 lives on.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

https://www.ouest-france.fr/faits-d...n-avocat-9eafbadc-7e8a-11ec-8e54-503fe5ea52b0

Before the opening of Nordahl Lelandais' trial before the Isère court of assizes for the murder preceded by the kidnapping and sequestration of the 8-year-old girl, the lawyer of Maëlys' mother, Fabien Rajon, reviews his client's expectations.

In what state of mind does your client approach this hearing?

Maëlys' mother is approaching these three weeks of hearings with lucidity: she knows that a new and very difficult ordeal awaits her. I would add that impatience is beginning to set in, because the investigation has been long, trying and has lasted over 4 years. It is now time for Justice to be done.

What does she expect from it?

My client, like the six other members of the family I am defending, is waiting for Justice to take the full measure of Lelandais' dangerousness. Basically, Maëlys' family, like all the guests at the wedding, was deceived by Lelandais who was able to kidnap the girl without the awareness of all those present.

And my client's fear is that Lelandais will succeed in deceiving the court as she and the other people present were deceived on the evening of the wedding.

What are the stakes of this trial for you?

One of the challenges will be to determine the motive for the abduction of the girl, while the accused will also be tried, in parallel, for sexual assault on his young cousins a few days before the abduction of Maëlys.

It will also be necessary to determine whether Maëlys was sexually abused on the night of her abduction. I hope that the verdict of the court will be worthy of the exceptional gravity of the harm inflicted on these girls and that it will be able to restore their humanity.


BBM

 

[Niner]

It's been a while since I last posted this - so will shorten it up a bit.


Monday, January 31st:
*Trial set to begin (all cases) (@ am CET) - France - Maëlys De Araujo (9) (Aug. 27, 2017, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, Isère; found Feb. 14, 2018) - *Nordahl Lelandais (34/now 38) arrested (Sept. 3, 2017) & indicted with murder & kidnapping & forcible confinement of a minor younger than 15; being held in jail. Maleys' DNA found in his car.
Trial scheduled for Jan. 31, 2022 thru Feb. 18, 2022.
For info on June 8, 2020 hearing reference post #154 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
June 11, 2020 Update: The decisions whether Lelandais will avoid prosecution for rape to be handed down by the Court of Cassation on Wednesday June 17. The highest court had heard these appeals on 4 June. Appeals from both Lelandais & the public prosecutor's office of the Grenoble Court of Appeal. The latter challenges a decision of the Grenoble investigating chamber of 31 October 2019 not to include the qualification of rape in its charges. The public prosecutor's office had in fact requested that the facts be reclassified as murder "preceded, accompanied or followed by rape" on the basis of the statements of a prisoner, a prison cell neighbor, to whom Lelandais had allegedly confided the rape of the little girl during the night of 26 to 27 August 2017 in Pont-de-Beauvoisin. Lelandais' lawyer, Mr. Alain Jakubowicz, intends to have this crucial testimony annulled.
June 17, 2020 Update: The Court of Cassation rejected Wednesday two appeals filed by Lelandais, alleged murderer of little Maëlys in 2017 in France, opening the possibility of prosecuting him for the rape of the child and keeping a psychological expertise on file.
Jan. 1, 2021 Update: The trial is expected to start in autumn 2021. But the judicial investigation is still underway & a second psychiatric report on Lelandais, requested by his lawyer, is due by the end of January. Making this provisional programme very hypothetical. Lelandais is also due to appear from 3 to 12 May 2021, before the Savoie assize court, for the murder of Arthur Noyer in April 2017.
Feb. 18, 2021 Update: It has taken three & a half years to close the Maëlys investigations. The three Grenoble investigating judges in charge of the abduction & murder of Maëlys have now closed the files. "The examining magistrate today (18 February) issued an order for the case to be referred to the public prosecutor's office for settlement under article 175 of the code of criminal procedure," said Eric Vaillant, Grenoble public prosecutor. In concrete terms, this means that the public prosecutor now has one month to reread & analyze the case file & in return send the judge his requisitions on the follow-up he intends to give to the proceedings. Within this time limit, the other parties can send their observations to the judge or request documents.
March 18, 2021 Update: In a final indictment issued on 18 March, the public prosecutor's office in Grenoble (Isère) requested the investigating magistrates to indict the ex-military man for murder preceded by the crime of "kidnapping & confinement of a minor under 15 years." The prosecutor's office of Grenoble requested the referral to the Court of Assizes of Lelandais for the murder of Maëlys. There is no question of rape charges, "for lack of sufficient evidence." However, the prosecutor's office did not hesitate to highlight the heavy weight of evidence in the case. A single man addicted to sex, attracted to both women & men, Lelandais also seems interested in children. "The context of sexual attraction to little girls (which Lelandais underestimates), the diagnosis of pedophilia, the regular & repeated consultation of child *advertiser censored* sites are all elements that allow us to consider that the facts may have taken place at the same time as sexual offences against Maëlys," the deputy prosecutor of the Republic in Grenoble writes. Without forgetting to refer to the testimony of one of Lelandais's fellow prisoners who would have collected his detailed confidences.
April 5, 2021 Update: Lelandais will be sent to trial for the murder of Maëlys, committed in 2017 in Isère. But NL will not be prosecuted for rape, despite a psychiatric report that points to his pedophile tendencies. The former dog handler is described as "a sex addict" who used to browse child *advertiser censored* sites. NL is also accused of "kidnapping & confinement of a minor under 15 years", "sexual assault" on two of his very young cousins & "recording child *advertiser censored*." Trial now scheduled for the summer of 2022.
June 4, 2021 Update: Lelandais will appear before the assize court of Isère for the murder of Maëlys De Araujo preceded by the kidnapping & sequestration of the child under 15 years of age. On Tuesday the judges in charge of the Maëlys case ordered the referral of Lelandais, sentenced in May in Chambéry to 20 years of criminal imprisonment for the murder of Arthur Noyer, before the Assises of Isere for the "murder" of the girl. The parties have ten days to appeal the committal order. Trial has been set for Jan. 31, 2022 thru Feb. 11, 2022.
*Charged (July 3, 2017) & indicted (Feb. 27, 2020) with sexual assault of a minor under 15 yrs re sexual assault on his young cousin (14) during a visit for her father’s funeral, a month before Maëlys’ abduction; she was 6 years old at the time.
July 1, 2019 Update: Preliminary investigation has been opened (July 1, 2019). New judicial inquiry opened (Oct. 29, 2019). A young cousin of Lelandais told BFMTV that she was sexually assaulted in March 2017 by the alleged murderer of Maëlys.
Feb. 27, 2020 Update: Was in court. Investigating judge in Charleville-Mézières who served NL the indictment for sexual assault on his cousin in March of 2017.
At the age of 16 (she was 14 at the time), the teenager filed a complaint last April for "sexual assault on a minor" and "death threats". That is one month before Arthur Noyer's disappearance and five months before Maëlys'. Nordahl Lelandais is currently under investigation in four cases.
*Indicted (Dec. 7, 2018) for sexual assault on a minor & recording of child *advertiser censored* images. According to concurring sources, this indictment concerns the sexual touching of a little girl who was four years old at the time of the incident. Abusing his goddaughter, the daughter of a close friend. The video was taken in 2017 before the one where he was seen with hs 6-year-old cousin. (NL admitted in particular that he had "for some time" been attracted to children & had pedophilic tendencies. "I didn't really make the difference between a woman and a child," he told the investigating judges).
Court info from Jan. 23, 2018 to Jan. 3, 2020 reference post #125 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
Feb. 7, 2020 Update: Sexual assault (July 2, 2018) on a cousin: NL returns to prison after four hours in custody. 10:11am: NL was taken into police custody on Friday is part of the complaint filed by one of his cousins in spring 2018. Was taken to the La Verpillière brigade for questioning on this case. For the time being nothing has filtered out as to the content of his statements. Nordahl Lelandais can only be put under investigation in a second phase, either during a further police custody, or during a second extraction with a presentation before the judge in charge of this case in Charleville-Mézières.
*Indicted (Dec. 20, 2017) for murder of Arthur Noyer (24) (April 11-12, 2017, Chambéry (Savoie); skull found Sept. 2017, id’d in Dec., 2017 & the rest of his bones found Jan. 2018).
The trial of Lelandais for the murder of the young soldier Arthur Noyer took place from May 3 to May 11, 2021 before the court of Assizes of Savoy. May 11, 2021: The accused is found guilty of having voluntarily caused death to Arthur Noyer: guilty of murder. Lelandais sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. The sentence includes a two-thirds period of imprisonment, a 15 year ban on carrying a weapon, as well as a 10-year socio-judicial follow-up, with a penalty of 5 years in prison if it is not respected. The court also ordered Lelandais to pay 45,000 euros to each of Noyer's parents, 30,000 euros to the victim's brother & 18,000 euros to each of the corporal's three grandparents.

 

[ZaZara]

Affaire Maëlys. Nordahl Lelandais s'adressant à la famille de la fillette : « J'ai bien donné la mort à Maëlys. Je ne voulais pas »

Le Dauphiné, live blog


6:56 am: The convoy transporting Nordahl Lelandais left the prison of Saint-Quentin-Fallavier. Direction the court of Grenoble.

7.15am: Since 6.30am the public has been arriving outside the Grenoble courthouse hoping to attend the trial of Nordahl Lelandais. Students of law and journalism are notably in the queue.

09:10: The press allowed to enter the courtroom
A few minutes before the opening of the trial of Nordahl Lelandais, the press was allowed to wander in the courtroom of the court of assizes of Isere.

The hearing begins this morning at 10am. The morning will be devoted to the random drawing of jurors, the calling of witnesses but also the reading of the arrest of referral

09:15: Maëlys' parents arrive at the courthouse in Grenoble

Jennifer Cleyet-Marrel and Joachim de Araujo, the parents of Maëlys, arrived at the courthouse in Grenoble, accompanied by Me Rajon, the lawyer of the mother of the girl. They are holding a drawing and a photo of their daughter.

09:25: The lawyer of Joachim de Araujo, the father of Maëlys, arrives in turn

Laurent Boguet, the lawyer of Joachim de Araujo, the father of Maëlys, has now arrived at the courthouse in Grenoble.

The lawyer of Maëlys' father: "He has many questions".
The lawyer of the father of Maëlys: "It is the last chance of Nordahl Lelandais to register in a search for responsibility".

09:30: Alain Jakubowicz, the lawyer of Nordahl Lelandais is at the courthouse
The lawyer who defends Nordahl Lelandais, Alain Jakubowicz, has just arrived at the court of assizes of Isere.

09:45: The lawyers of the civil parties continue to arrive

It is the turn of Me Yves Crespin, lawyer for the associations L'Enfant Bleu and La Voix de l'enfant, to arrive at the courthouse in Grenoble a few minutes before the start of the trial of Nordahl Lelandais.

"What I expect is simply a little humanity": the state of mind of the lawyer of the associations L'Enfant Bleu and La Voix de l'enfant before the start of the hearing

10:09: The trial of Nordahl Lelandais has begun

The president of the court, Valerie Blain has just declared the hearing open. Nordahl Lelandais, the accused, enters the courtroom. He introduces himself at the request of the president. "Lelandais Nordahl, born on 18-02-83 in Boulogne-Billancourt. He is dressed in a light-coloured shirt, has short hair. He looks the same as he did during his trial in Chambéry last May. The court now proceeds to randomly select the jurors.

10.19am: A woman has asked to be excused
A woman has asked directly to be excused. She felt ill and spoke of stress. The court granted her request.

10.22am: Additional jurors
Six additional jurors will be drawn, (in addition to the normal six) because of the public health context and the expected length of the proceedings.

10:33: The main jury has been selected
There are four men and two women. The additional jury is composed of four men and two women as well. The president of the court swears in the jurors.

10:35: "The proceedings have begun"

"The proceedings have now begun," President Valerie Blain says. The lawyers, Mr Rajon, Mr Remond and Mr Crespin, now formulate their statements as civil parties. The court then proceeded to call the witnesses who would be called to testify during the trial.

10:50: Tensions outside the courtroom due to lack of space for people to attend the trial
Outside the courtroom, there is some tension with members of the public who would like to be able to enter the courtroom but cannot because of a lack of space. The police were obliged to come and calm the tempers of some people who had been present since 6am.

10:53: The brother of Nordahl Lelandais and his ex-girlfriend have not appeared at the roll call
Three witnesses, including the brother of Nordahl Lelandais and his ex-girlfriend whom he met in prison, did not appear at the roll call without providing valid justification. The court asks that they be sought to be heard.

11:14am: A former co-detainee of Nordahl Lelandais, also failed to appear
He had been heard in Chambéry during the Noyer trial last May after being brought in with the assistance of the police. Jakubowicz, the lawyer for Nordahl Lelandais, recalls that his first testimony was not retained by the prosecution "it was an insult to justice." The court, after deliberating, ordered that the witness be "brought in with the assistance of the public force."

11:24am: The request for a closed session by the lawyer for the civil parties in the sexual assault case against N. Lelandais' little cousins is rejected
Remond, the lawyer for the civil parties in the case of the sexual assaults on Lelandais's little cousins, is asking for a closed session when the facts are discussed: "These are little girls who are 8 and 10 years old today. This trial is covered by the media. In my opinion, good decency is being violated". In camera proceedings are not allowed in this case. The public prosecutor, Jacques Dallest, said he was "against the principle of a closed session. Society has every interest in knowing what justice is doing. The court does not grant the request. The hearing was suspended for 15 minutes.

11:57: The hearing resumes

The president will now present the facts of the case against Nordahl Lelandais.

12:30: Fabien Rajon, the lawyer of Jennifer de Araujo, the mother of Maëlys, speaks for the first time since the opening of this trial

For the lawyer from Lyon, the place of Sven Lelandais is here, in reference to the absence of the brother of Nordahl Lelandais, this morning. "He must tell us things about the personality of his brother, but also that he comes back on the facts.

1pm: End of the reading of the summary of the facts
The reading of the summary of the facts lasted an hour. The president Valérie Blain asks Nordahl Lelandais if he wishes to make any statements.

13:05: Nordahl Lelandais speaks to the family of the girl: "I caused the death of Maëlys. I did not want to."

"I will turn to the family if they allow me. I apologise to them. I did cause the death of Maëlys. I did not mean to. I will explain the facts during the hearing. I apologise to the De Araujo family", the defendant said.

13:07: The hearing is suspended until 14:30.

Me Rajon, the lawyer of the mother of Maëlys: "We will move towards the truth not by counting on Nordahl Lelandais but on the work of investigators."


BBM

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, February 1st:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (all cases) (@ am CET) - France - Maëlys De Araujo (9) (Aug. 27, 2017, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, Isère; found Feb. 14, 2018) - *Nordahl Lelandais (34/now 38) arrested (Sept. 3, 2017) & indicted with murder & kidnapping & forcible confinement of a minor younger than 15; being held in jail. Maleys' DNA found in his car.
Trial began on Jan. 31, 2022 thru Feb. 18, 2022.
For info on June 8, 2020 thru June 4, 2021 reference post #333 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
See below.
*Charged (July 3, 2017) & indicted (Feb. 27, 2020) with sexual assault of a minor under 15 yrs re sexual assault on his young cousin (14) during a visit for her father’s funeral, a month before Maëlys’ abduction; she was 6 years old at the time.
See below.
*Indicted (Dec. 7, 2018) for sexual assault on a minor & recording of child *advertiser censored* images. According to concurring sources, this indictment concerns the sexual touching of a little girl who was four years old at the time of the incident. Abusing his goddaughter, the daughter of a close friend. The video was taken in 2017 before the one where he was seen with hs 6-year-old cousin. (NL admitted in particular that he had "for some time" been attracted to children & had pedophilic tendencies. "I didn't really make the difference between a woman and a child," he told the investigating judges).
Court info from Jan. 23, 2018 to Fe. 7, 2020 reference post #333 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
an. 31, 2022: Monday, Trial Day 1: The hearing began this morning at 10am. The morning was devoted to the random drawing of jurors, the calling of witnesses but also the reading of the arrest of referral. Alain Jakubowicz is the lawyer for Nordahl Lelandais. The president of the court, Valerie Blain has just declared the hearing open. Lelandais entered the courtroom. He introduced himself at the request of the president. The court proceeded to randomly select the jurors. Six additional jurors have been drawn, (in addition to the normal six) because of the public health context & the expected length of the proceedings. The main jury has been selected. There are four men & two women. The additional jury is composed of four men & two women as well. The president of the court swore in the jurors. The lawyers, Mr. Rajon, Mr. Remond & Mr. Crespin, formulated their statements as civil parties. The court then proceeded to call the witnesses who would be called to testify during the trial. Three witnesses, including the brother of Lelandais & his ex-girlfriend whom he met in prison, did not appear at the roll call without providing valid justification. The court asks that they be sought to be heard & a former co-detainee of Lelandais, also failed to appear. The request for a closed session by the lawyer for the civil parties in the sexual assault case against Lelandais' little cousins is rejected. The president presented the facts of the case against Lelandais. Fabien Rajon, the lawyer of Jennifer de Araujo, the mother of Maëlys, speaks for the first time since the opening of this trial. For the lawyer from Lyon, the place of Sven Lelandais is here, in reference to the absence of the brother of Lelandais, this morning. "He must tell us things about the personality of his brother, but also that he comes back on the facts. End of the reading of the summary of the facts. The president Valérie Blain asked Lelandais if he wished to make any statements. Lelandais spoke to the family of the girl: "I caused the death of Maëlys. I did not want to." "I will turn to the family if they allow me. I apologize to them. I did cause the death of Maëlys. I did not mean to. I will explain the facts during the hearing. I apologize to the De Araujo family", the defendant said. No other info available. Trial continues on Feb. 1, 2022.
*Indicted (Dec. 20, 2017) for murder of Arthur Noyer (24) (April 11-12, 2017, Chambéry (Savoie); skull found Sept. 2017, id’d in Dec., 2017 & the rest of his bones found Jan. 2018). Found guilty of murder & sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

 

[ZaZara]

Affaire Maëlys. Procès de Nordahl Lelandais : revivez la première journée de débats

Summary of Monday afternoon:

After a recess, the proceedings resumed in the early afternoon with the appearance of a personality investigator who met Lelandais three times in 2017. For her, the accused is "someone with a temper and who does not like authority, yes. But not violent."

The half-sister of Nordahl Lelandais was then invited to speak. "I don't see him as a monster. He has become fully aware of his actions and the pain he has caused to many people," she said.

The accused's mother was questioned in turn. Describing a " wanted, wise " child, she saw " only alcohol and drugs that derailed his life."

Invited to speak at the end of the hearing, Nordahl Lelandais was keen to defend his family: "It is not for my mother and my sister to answer about what happened. I will explain myself during the proceedings.


BBM


I'm having problems with my internet connection as soon as the live blog of the Dauphiné opens at last, or so it seems. I'll stick to the short version of Monday afternoon's hearing.

 

[ZaZara]

Affaire Maëlys. Procès de Nordahl Lelandais : "Nordahl, même si c'est horrible, tu dois dire à ses parents ce que tu as fait à la petite" (un ex-ami de l'accusé)

Dauphiné Live Blog, Tuesday February 1.

9.10am: The hearing resumes

A former companion of Nordahl Lelandais will testify in court. She is a 34-year-old woman who dated the accused from December 2013 to June 2014. They met through a mutual acquaintance and shared a passion for Malinois. They lived together for a short time before "a difficult separation".

09:20: "He made me laugh", an ex-companion of Lelandais on the stand

"He made me laugh, we had a good time. I succumbed to his charm. When you meet someone you always show your best side.

09:28: Filmed without her knowledge and broadcast on a pornographic site by Nordahl Lelandais

- The president: "Your sexual relationship?

- The witness: "We had a good relationship. But on certain things I did not agree. I was filmed without my knowledge and broadcast in 2015 on YouPorn, well after our separation.

- The president: "He did not suggest that you be filmed.

- The witness: "No, not at all. I filed a complaint but it was dismissed for lack of evidence.

09:31: "I want to move on now, I want to forget

"It feels like an interactive rape. The time it took to delete the videos was long. The views exploded. I was ashamed, afraid that people would recognise me," the witness said. "I could be recognised with my tattoos. I want to move on now, I want to forget. I want to get it over with."

This is the second time she has testified before an assize court after the trial in Chambéry last May.

09:37: "He has no respect for people other than himself

- The president: "How did you feel about him?

- The witness: "Anger, a lot of disgust. That's what brought him here. He has no respect for people other than himself.

09:45: Nordahl Lelandais listening to the testimony of his ex-girlfriend

09:55: A violent separation

- The president: "The separation?

- The witness: "A banal argument because my son had not finished his plate. And he went into a rage saying that children were dying of hunger in the world. We had an argument, there were insults and he left the flat. We met again after the weekend and I said I wanted to end the relationship. He put the dogs on the balcony. We had a huge fight because he didn't want to. I got threats that he was going to throw me off the Cat's Tooth and make me eat the pavement. He grabbed me by the arm and took me into the bedroom, shook me and threw me on the bed. He then made the gesture of a headbutt. We went back into the kitchen and I hugged him even though I didn't want to and it calmed him down. We went out for some fresh air, when we got home we had another fight. He wanted to have sex with me. I didn't want to, so he said 'I'll find other *advertiser censored* if you don't want to' [...] I didn't press charges because, I'm sorry... but it's no use.


10:10: Nordahl Lelandais responds to his ex-girlfriend

"In a story there are two versions. We loved each other very deeply, very quickly. I loved you," said the accused in front of the witness. "As for the fight, it was not so violent as that. We had a squabble. I don't remember throwing you on the bed. If you say so, maybe it's true.

10:15: Lelandais says he does not remember the "episode" of the fight with his ex-girlfriend

- The president: "She doesn't seem to be talking about a squabble Mr Lelandais..."

- Nordahl Lelandais: "I don't remember this episode.

- The witness: "You lifted me off the ground. My body made the wave of a leaf (sobbing). Your eyes were black. I took you in my arms because I was afraid for myself.

10:20: Lelandais questioned about intimate video posted on *advertiser censored* site

- The president: "On the videos of your sexual encounters where Madame says she did not know she was being filmed and broadcast on a site?

- Nordahl Lelandais: "She says on the video 'don't film too high'.

- The president: "Should this video be broadcast?

- Nordahl Lelandais: "I think we can spare her that.

- The president: "You're saying that she agreed and that today she's saying the opposite?

- Nordahl Lelandais: "No...

- The president: "The broadcast on YouPorn?

- Nordahl Lelandais: "... (long silence)".

10:30am: The lawyer for Maëlys' mother questions the witness

- Me Rajon: "I would like to come back to my statement after Maëlys' disappearance. Your words are consistent, you talk about her two faces. Did he lie easily?

- The witness: "I don't remember.

- Mr Rajon: "About the episode of violence. You spoke of his dark look...".

- The witness: "A black, frozen look. And he softened when I took him in my arms.

10:33: Pregnant with Nordahl Lelandais, the witness had an abortion

- Me Remond: "You were pregnant by Nordahl Lelandais?

- The witness: "Yes and I decided to have an abortion myself. I told him of my choice.

- Mr. Remond: "What was his reaction?

- The witness: "I don't really remember. I remember that he would have wanted to keep it.

10:46am: It is the public prosecutor's turn to question the witness

- Jacques Dallest, the public prosecutor: "Nordahl Lelandais has already been convicted of murder. Today he is appearing for the murder of a 15 year old minor. What conclusion can you draw from this?

- The witness: "A lack of understanding of how he got there. In terms of drugs, there were none at the time. Afterwards, I didn't see his evolution from the moment of the separation.

10:50: The defence questions Lelandais' ex-girlfriend

- Jakubowicz's collaborator, Me Pariat: "Was it a serious relationship?"

- The witness: "Yes".

- Me Pariat: "On the real dispute. Was there a reciprocity in the insults and did the tone rise?

- The witness: "Yes".

- Mr. Pariat: "There were exchanges of SMS afterwards where he apologised?

- The witness: "Yes".

- Mr. Pariat: "And he came to collect his belongings when you were on holiday and then there was no news?

- The witness: "Yes, that's it.

10h57 :

- Mr. Pariat: "We have this argument, significant in this period of rupture. And afterwards, he accepted?

- The witness: "Yes, afterwards, each of them went on with their lives".

- Mr. Pariat: "Were all your sexual practices consensual?

- The witness: "Yes, except when I accepted so that he would leave me alone".

- Mr. Pariat: "But when you refused he didn't force you?

- The witness: "When it was a stop, he accepted".

- Ms. Pariat: "On the videos, you talk about rape. Do you know this term?

- The witness: "That's why I added interactive".

10:59: The witness acknowledges the exchange of intimate photos and videos with the accused

- Mr. Jakubowicz: "You are quite free on the question of sexual relations. Did you exchange intimate photos and videos?

- The witness: "Yes, but not made together.

- Mr. Jakubowicz: "He never forced you to engage in any sexual practice?

- The witness: "No".

- Mr. Jakubowicz: "On the question of violence, we have a shocking scene and we understand that you experienced it as you did, that is to say badly. Was it the only and first time?

- The witness: "Yes".

- Mr. Jakubowicz: "Did he strike? You say that he always stopped before. This headbutt, does he stop it?

- The witness: "Yes, that's right".

- Mr Jakubowicz: "On the relationship of Nordahl Lelandais with the children, you say that he was never ambiguous with your child?

- The witness: "No, never."


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Dauphiné Live Blog, continued

11:13: A new witness takes the stand

This is a 36-year-old man. He was a friend of Nordahl Lelandais. They got to know each other in 2010.

They met each other by going out to dances and discos. "I don't have much to tell you honestly. I'm sorry to be here, sorry for the girl, sorry for the corporal. I don't understand how it's come to this. It's not drugs or alcohol in my opinion, I think a person knows what he is doing. When I was younger, I used alcohol and drugs and I didn't end up like this.

11:18: "I didn't notice anything"

"We spent days and evenings together. I didn't notice anything. However, I analyse a lot, it's my personality," the witness explains and continues: "We (with his partner) have evolved, we had children, we settled down. A flat, a house. He always came back to the starting point, he went back to live with his parents.

11.30am: "It hit us out of the blue. We have never seen anything special towards women, children or men.

"It hit us out of the blue. We have never seen anything special towards women, children or men. It's really an uncanny experience.

"His qualities? He was helpful, he did everybody's house moves. My car broke down at two in the morning, he came to get me. He had a certain face with us and another personality outside our group.

11h35 :

- The President: "Did he tend to embellish things for his own sake?"

- The witness: "Yes, that happened. There was a part of the truth but it was presented in his own way.

11:45: The witness "disturbed" after the first custody of Nordahl Lelandais

"At the time of the facts, after his first custody, he told us that it was not him. But it's true that he didn't seem very concerned. One thing confused me, he didn't ask us if we believed him. We weren't talking about a bike theft, we were talking about a little girl.

11:55: "Nordahl, even if it's horrible, you must tell her parents what you did to the girl.

- The president: "You have cut all ties with your ex-friend?

- The witness: "Yes, from the moment he confessed. I had come to believe that he had perhaps had an accident by running over the girl with his car when he left, as he was drugged and had drunk. And that he'd gone through with his by hiding the body. And then he confessed. He fooled us like he fooled everyone else.

- The President: "Do you want to say anything to him?

- The witness: "People need the truth, Nordahl. Even if it's horrible, you have to tell her parents what you did to the girl. You know it's over anyway. Make the effort for her and her parents.

12:08pm: The ex-friend certain "100%" that Lelandais will not tell the truth about the murder of Maëlys

- Jacques Dallest, the public prosecutor: "If I tell you that Nordahl Lelandais was a big slacker?

- The witness: "Yes, he wasn't the hardest worker of the group.

- Jacques Dallest, prosecuting attorney: "But he had qualities?

- The witness: "What qualities? Physical ? yes, he liked sport.

- Jacques Dallest, the public prosecutor: "If I tell you that Nordahl Lelandais is a big liar?

- The witness: "He has the capacity to be a big liar... same as he could be sincere.

- Jacques Dallest, the public prosecutor: "Is a murder charge linked to a drug or alcohol problem?

- The witness: "Maybe it amplifies but basically there is a problem.

- Jacques Dallest, prosecuting attorney: "Do you think he will tell the truth before the end of the trial?

- The witness: "Never, 100%".

12:25: The hearing is suspended. It will resume at 2pm.


BBM

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, February 2nd:
*Trial continues (Day 3) (all cases) (@ am CET) - France - Maëlys De Araujo (9) (Aug. 27, 2017, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, Isère; found Feb. 14, 2018) - *Nordahl Lelandais (34/now 38) arrested (Sept. 3, 2017) & indicted with murder & kidnapping & forcible confinement of a minor younger than 15; being held in jail. Maleys' DNA found in his car.
Trial began on Jan. 31, 2022 thru Feb. 18, 2022.
For info on June 8, 2020 thru June 4, 2021 reference post #333 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
See below.
*Charged (July 3, 2017) & indicted (Feb. 27, 2020) with sexual assault of a minor under 15 yrs re sexual assault on his young cousin (14) during a visit for her father’s funeral, a month before Maëlys’ abduction; she was 6 years old at the time.
See below.
*Indicted (Dec. 7, 2018) for sexual assault on a minor & recording of child *advertiser censored* images. According to concurring sources, this indictment concerns the sexual touching of a little girl who was four years old at the time of the incident. Abusing his goddaughter, the daughter of a close friend. The video was taken in 2017 before the one where he was seen with hs 6-year-old cousin. (NL admitted in particular that he had "for some time" been attracted to children & had pedophilic tendencies. "I didn't really make the difference between a woman and a child," he told the investigating judges).
Court info from Jan. 23, 2018 to Fe. 7, 2020 reference post #335 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
Additional info for Jan. 31, 2022: Lelandais had asked permission to remove his mask & address the girl's family directly when he spoke in court this morning, which the presiding judge denied.
Feb. 1, 2022: Tuesday, Trial Day 2: A former companion of Lelandais will testify in court. She is a 34-year-old woman who dated the accused from December 2013 to June 2014.
A personality investigator who met Lelandais three times in 2017 testified. The half-sister of Lelandais was then invited to speak. The accused's mother was questioned in turn. Invited to speak at the end of the hearing, Lelandais was keen to defend his family: "It is not for my mother & my sister to answer about what happened. I will explain myself during the proceedings.
for more info see posts #336 & 337 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
A new witness takes the stand. This is a 36-year-old man. He was a friend of Lelandais. They got to know each other in 2010.
for more info see post #338 here:
Found Deceased - France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017 - #2
No more info available yet. Trial continues on Feb. 2, 2022.
*Indicted (Dec. 20, 2017) for murder of Arthur Noyer (24) (April 11-12, 2017, Chambéry (Savoie); skull found Sept. 2017, id’d in Dec., 2017 & the rest of his bones found Jan. 2018). Found guilty of murder & sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

 

[ZaZara]

Affaire Maëlys. Nordahl Lelandais, un homme aux deux visages : revivez la deuxième journée du procès

Le Journals de Saône et Loire reposts the texts from Live Blog from Le Dauphiné

Tuesday February 1, afternoon

13:55: Nordahl Lelandais' brother's testimony expected

The hearing is due to resume at any minute with new testimony from people close to Nordahl Lelandais. His brother Sven, who had initially refused to appear, is expected to take the stand.

14:07: The hearing resumes, Sven Lelandais presents himself on the stand

Sven Lelandais, Nordahl's brother, takes the stand to testify in court. At first, the man of 40 years of age had announced his refusal to appear at the trial. But the president had asked that he be brought in and Sven Lelandais finally agreed to go to Grenoble.

Sven began: "He is not a violent person. I have never seen him lose his temper with anyone. He had many friends, we had a loving family, everything was fine. I didn't detect anything. His brother's qualities? "He helps others," replies Sven Lelandais. "He's helpful," the president translates. This is at least the third time that this qualifier has been used during the first two days of the trial.

"The drugs and the alcohol, they amplified things. I think that's why he went off the rails," Sven continues. The president confronts Sven with a statement made by the sister yesterday ("It went wrong somewhere" to explain that none of the three had a normal life). "I would call it Karma," Sven Lelandais replies.

14:45: "When he spoke, there was wisdom": Sven Lelandais goes into detail about the relationship with his brother

The president refers to "lively exchanges" between the two brothers recorded during the phone tapping. "It's me and my jealousy. Not in the links but in the material aspect. It's my person, I'm jealous, I'm jealous," Sven Lelandais repeats, before continuing about his brother: "When he spoke, there was wisdom, so I listened."

Sven Lelandais mentions a man who "has always been a worker". The president Valérie Blain is skeptical: "The people we have heard so far do not say the same thing. She continued by asking him about his brother's driving off the road and the fact that he had set fire to a restaurant (in 2008, for which he was sentenced to one year in prison). The brother's response: "He was young. Who hasn't made a mistake?"

15h12: "Let him unburden himself because many people are waiting for the truth", says Sven Lelandais

The president asks Sven Lelandais if he has anything to say to his brother. Answer: "Let him unburden himself because many people are waiting for the truth. It will only do him good to explain. Because the girl's family, like ours, are collateral damage. I think that this could be a good solution to calm down internally. The president: "Do you think he didn't say everything? Sven Lelandais: "What needs to be said, he will say it. I love him and I miss him."

15h23 : The testimony of Sven Lelandais "very smooth" for the lawyer of the father of Maëlys

Maitre Boguet, the lawyer of Maëlys' father, takes the floor and addresses Sven Lelandais: "You give us something very smooth, while we are looking for some truth. It's a bit like 'move along, there's nothing to see'. Sven Lelandais replied: "That's my feeling. There was never any trouble with Nordahl."

One of the lawyers of the civil parties takes up the statements of Sven in 2018, who had evoked an "illness" in his brother. Reaction of the witness: "I think that Nordahl had a psychological problem, which was not detectable. With drugs, alcohol, it went out of control."

15:50: The defence lawyer questions Sven Lelandais

Mr Jakubowicz asks Sven Lelandais about Nordahl's return from the army: "In your opinion, isn't there some justification for him to come back different after four years? Sven Lelandais nods, Me Jakubowicz continues: "You said he was bipolar but you are not a psychiatrist. So explain what you meant...". The brother's response: "One day he was normal and the next day he could be different... a bit like everyone else.

The testimony of Sven Lelandais is coming to an end. Nordahl's brother announced his desire to change his name and surname in order to find a job. "To move on with my life. That's why I do the seasonal ones. I leave for months to think about something else."

3.55pm: New witness on the stand: a female friend of Nordahl Lelandais

Coralie, a long-time friend of Nordahl Lelandais and companion of Fabien, heard in the morning, takes the stand. The 38-year-old woman began: "He was not a bad or nasty person. He was nice, funny. We spent a lot of time together, he was protective of me." She seems moved, asks for water, apologises for her silence.

Then she charges Nordahl Lelandais: "When he is on to something, he stays in his lie. He has a tough mind." She recalls the release of his first custody, after which Lelandais answers to journalists of TF1 on the phone: "In his voice, we noticed that he was not sincere."

The president spoke about the accused's romantic relationships and the fact that "each time he broke up, it was never his fault". Coralie agrees: "That's it, it's always the fault of others."

16:20: "He talked about people being killed", recalls Coralie after Lelandais left the army

Like other witnesses before her, Coralie recalls the changing attitude of Lelandais after his decision to leave the army. He confessed to her that he had seen shocking and traumatic things on mission: "He talked about people being killed. He couldn't sleep." It should be remembered that Nordahl Lelandais never fought with the army.

16:28: Coralie addresses Lelandais: "You don't have empathy and guilt, you don't feel these emotions"

The president questions the witness on the moment of the facts.
"I asked him what he had done at the wedding at the time of the disappearance, he told me he was smoking a cigarette. I was wondering because I know that if he hadn't been there for anything, he would have gone to get his dogs to help with the search."

She addressed Lelandais directly: "What was going through your mind when you put Maëlys in your car? Did you have a sexual impulse? Look at the parents! You don't have empathy and guilt, you don't feel these emotions. I feel like throwing up." The witness feels bad, a chair is brought to her.

"You won't tell the truth for the sake of your image Nono. They already see you as a monster, it won't be any worse," continues Coralie. You've killed people and why not us? We ask ourselves this question [...] What did she do? She was having fun! She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time (...) You know you're very clever. You looked up for Arthur (Noyer) how long it took for a body to decompose."

The president invites Lelandais to respond. "I apologise to my friends for causing them confusion," he says. His lawyer, Me Jakubowicz, intervenes: "We must question him about his personality and we question him about the facts! There is a problem of method here.

The hearing was suspended until 4:50pm.

17:03: The hearing resumes with the testimony of a former friend: "Before being the murderer of Arthur and Maëlys, it was just our friend, Nono."

Nazim, whose testimony had marked the spirits during the trial for the murder of Arthur Noyer, appears on the stand. "The little girl is no longer there and it's because of my friend," he says at the outset. "I didn't know her and yet I think of her every day when I look at my children." Maëlys' mother, Jennifer, cannot hold back her tears.

He continues: "We all know how it will end in three weeks. But I am convinced that somewhere there is an explanation. I know it's very hard because Nordahl doesn't talk. Today, he should realise that he has only one chance of being convicted as a man of conscience. (...) Before being the murderer of Arthur and Maëlys, he was a simple citizen. He was merely our friend, Nono. (He addresses Lelandais) Tried and convicted, you will be Nordahl. Everyone knows how the play ends. You only have one chance to tell the truth, and that is now."

Nazim's speech is spontaneous, clear and well thought out. No lawyer had any questions for him and the president asked the witness to leave the room.

17:26: End of the second day of the trial of Nordahl Lelandais