The tragic death of Claude Jean-Pierre

Photos by Christophe Sinnan

By Pascal Archimede

Guadeloupe is a French speaking island located in the Caribbean. It is 3 hours away by plane from Fort Lauderdale.

On November 21, 2020, Claude Jean-Pierre, a 67-year-old retiree got pulled over by gendarmes for a police officer check in the city of Deshaies in Guadeloupe. Hospitalized following this roadside check, he died 12 days later.

To try to understand what happened, The Westside Gazette met Claude’s daughter, Fatia Jean-Pierre, and his son-in-law, Christophe Sinnan. Fatia and Christophe agreed to speak with one voice.

Good morning Fatia and Christophe. What happened on November 21, 2020 in Deshaies in Guadeloupe?

Good morning Pascal. On November 21, 2020, Claude Jean-Pierre, our father and father-in-law, a newly 67-year-old retiree, was coming back home around 2 p.m.

He got pulled over by the gendarmes in the town Centre of Deshaies city where he lived.

Following this check, he was admitted to the hospital. The doctors noted 2 broken cervical vertebra and a spinal cord compression that resulted in tetraplegia.

     Claude Jean-Pierre died 12 days later, on December 03, 2020 at Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital. What are the causes of his death? What are the results of the autopsy?

The autopsy report states that the damage is due to the way he got removed from the vehicle. Additional information has been requested by the medical examiner. We are waiting for them.

After more than a month, the collective of lawyers that formed to shed light on this case as well as yourself finally had access to the content of a surveillance camera that recorded the scene. What did you see?

On January 5, 2021, we were able to watch the video of the city remote surveillance in the presence of two of the lawyers of the collective, Maître Bernier and Maître Chevry.

On this video, we see Claude’s vehicle, followed by a gendarmerie vehicle, parked at a bus shelter.

The two officers get out of their vehicle. There is a calm and courteous exchange, without any animosity or signs of violence.

Claude is sitting in his vehicle with his left front door open, one leg on the ground. He does not seem to try to run away or to refuse to comply.

Then, a second gendarmerie car arrived . One of the respondents went towards this vehicle and  began a discussion.

Following this brief exchange, the second vehicle leaves, proof that there is no notion of danger. The officer who was already there then went to his vehicle and put on his bulletproof vest.

They decide at that moment to remove Claude from the vehicle, in an extremely violent way.

We clearly see that the upper part of his body is stuck. There is such a violent shock that the vehicle moves.

Once outside the vehicle, he falls to the ground, unconscious, as if he were dead.

One of the two gendarmes tries to lift him up and his head hits the ground.

He will remain lying  down on the ground, by 86 degrees Fahrenheit, without any assistance or protection, waiting for the rescue services, which will arrive about twenty minutes later.

     Xavier SICOT, prosecutor of Basse-Terre ,told French newspaper Médiapart that on the contrary,  “these images would not show any action of voluntary violence from the gendarmes. The evidence doesn’t allow us to go this way, that’s obvious.” What do you think about his statements? Will it be “word against word”?

Xavier Sicot is responsible for his remarks, and they reflect his opinion.

There is no need for a “word against word” process, the facts are undeniable.

     From a judicial point of view, you submitted a complaint to the public prosecutor who opened an investigation for “manslaughter”. You also referred the case to the gendarme disciplinary body in charge of internal investigations. You also sent a letter to the French Home Ministry. What answers did you get?

Legal proceedings are in progress. The gendarme disciplinary body has responded, indicating that they will not intervene, and will not give any opinion. The French Home Ministry remains silent. The human rights defender, seized by the family, is investigating the case.

One month to get access to the content of the video, a prosecutor who contradicts what you saw on this video, a letter addressed to the French Home Ministry that remained unanswered, an investigation on gendarmes led by other gendarmes. Do you trust French justice»? Do you feel that they are playing for time and trying to cover up this case?

Some elements of the investigation show us that nothing will be easy and that we are engaged in long legal proceedings. Regardless of the barriers we face, we are committed to fighting for justice.

     At this stage of the investigation, can we talk about “police blunders”?

It is clearly a question of violence and therefore of a blunder by the military forces.

At no time should or may a roadside check result in such injuries, let alone death.

     Did you meet the two gendarmes who checked Claude Jean-Pierre? Are they still on duty?

No, we had no contact with them. To our knowledge, they are still in service, and no action has been taken against them.

     How does the Guadeloupean population react to this case?

A support committee made up of cultural, social, political and trade union organizations has been set up to defend this cause. Guadeloupean people are standing up and have been spontaneously affected by this.

Several demonstrations were organized by this committee, meetings in different cities of the island, a solemn march was organized in the city of Deshaies on January 10, 2021.

People want to understand why a joyful person so appreciated by all has been treated like that!

The press and local television channels followed the case and relayed the information.

 

About Carma Henry 24481 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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