For the same price, Jean’s behavior on February 20, 2021 would have brought him before the Assize Court of Mons. After 13 and a half months of preventive detention, the 30-year-old is finally tried before the Charleroi Criminal Court for, excuse me, an assassination attempt on a psychiatrist at the Van Gogh hospital, threats on the latter and on a nurse. and carrying a kitchen knife.
On the day of the incident, in the middle of the followingnoon, Jean went to the hospital site with the firm intention of being hospitalized for alcohol, cocaine and cannabis withdrawal. The latter is so determined and ready to do anything to get treatment that he first slipped a kitchen knife into his pocket. His intentions are clear: to commit a hostage-taking if his hospitalization is not accepted, or to commit the irreparable by using his knife, according to the prosecution.
Death threats, but not only
It was while disinfecting his hands that Jean took his knife to then chase the psychiatrist. “He was directly aggressive and he threatened the doctor with death if he did not accept his hospitalization. He took the knife, ran following the doctor with his knife in his right hand. Fortunately, the doctor was very lucky and was only superficially touched in the left shoulder and left index finger, ”says the prosecution.
Even under control on the ground, Jean did not calm down and continued to threaten the doctor and the nurse with death. “He said in particular that he would go get a 9mm and that he would come back to the hospital to kill him. For substitute Brichet, it is obvious that this is an assassination attempt. “He clearly had the will to stab the doctor and he prepared for that by bringing a knife. The premeditation of his gesture is not the shadow of a doubt. In a state of recidivism, following a sentence of 4 years in prison for extortion with a weapon, rebellion, outrages, threats, Jean is risking a lot. A sentence of 6 years in prison is also required.
Me Brison, in defense, pleads an autonomous probation sentence with a psychiatric follow-up deemed essential for his client, an alcohol and cannabis consumer since he was 12 years old and who only saw this solution to finally seek treatment, according to the lawyer. A reclassification as attempted murder is also sought. Judging on Wednesday April 20.
