The outstanding Paris lawyer, identified for representing journalists, politicians and the Could 1968 leftists, and who served as president of the French Human Rights League, final argued a case in 2020. He died on August 31.
Subscribers solely
The previous lion has closed his eyes, the world of justice is in deep mourning and attorneys’ robes are blacker than ever. Henri Leclerc died on the age of 90 on Saturday, August 31, in Paris, after 70 years on the bar and as a few years stubbornly defending freedoms. Leclerc was one of many final giants of his time, and when rumors unfold in courts or tribunals that he was going to argue a case, colleagues, judges and college students would quietly slip into the courtroom to study from the previous grasp.
He stood there, with a mild smile, a reassuring heavy determine in his worn gown, white hair and a voice that was heat, assured and pleasant, flowing like a river. Leclerc did not argue; he spoke as a pal, sharing his doubts, certainties and questions with easy phrases and nice geniality. Individuals listened and joined him in his emotional journey, by means of each justice and injustice. “Even in essentially the most hostile environments, he managed to envelop the room together with his presence, together with his entire being – it was bodily,” mentioned Thierry Lévy, one other nice lawyer with a colder model who handed away in 2017. “He conveyed to the jurors: ‘Here is an honest man! Anybody he defends cannot be all that dangerous.'”
Nonetheless, the lawyer additionally knew the way to current a formidable protection, and his cross-examinations had been cruel. He would await the witness’s, knowledgeable’s or police officer’s response, with a report in hand whereas chewing on the arm of his glasses – absolutely conscious of the protection precept {that a} lawyer ought to solely ask inquiries to which he already is aware of the solutions. The unlucky particular person being grilled would shortly turn into tangled in contradictions, and the previous lion would ship a devastating swipe that left them trembling and bloodied, their testimony endlessly ruined. Leclerc would then calmly return to his seat with a half-smile, prepared for the following one.
Younger Leclerc’s first encounter with the legislation got here on the age of 11, in October 1945, after his father’s anger on the trial of Pierre Laval. His father, a tax official, was repulsed by the mastermind behind the collaboration with Germany. He was outraged by the farcical trial of the previous authorities chief, who was shot after a suicide try. The general public prosecutor’s assertion that “Mr. Laval’s days are not at risk,” earlier than dragging him half-dead earlier than the firing squad, left a deep impression on the younger boy.
Three years later, Leclerc senior handed his son the guide by Laval’s appointed lawyer, Albert Naud, entitled Pourquoi Je n’ai pas Défendu Pierre Laval (“Why I Did Not Defend Pierre Laval,” 1948) – which explains why he was in the end unable to defend him. The younger pupil at Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux, south of Paris, was deeply affected. “How may I neglect that lesson?” he wrote in 2017. “It left an indelible hint on me, a deep emotional impression, like a wound, which I’ve felt once more each time I’ve skilled that profound indignation and anger within the face of justice when it fails to uphold its honor.”
You’ve gotten 86.68% of this text left to learn. The remaining is for subscribers solely.
Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois
Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil.
-
Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en prepare de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil.
Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur, téléphone ou tablette).
-
Remark ne plus voir ce message ?
En cliquant sur « » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte.
-
Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici ?
Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil. Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte.
-
Y a-t-il d’autres limites ?
Non. Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez, mais en les utilisant à des moments différents.
-
Vous ignorez qui est l’autre personne ?
Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe.
Lecture restreinte
Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article
Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter notre service industrial.
