Death of Thomas in Crépol: eleven accused sent back to court with the aggravating circumstance of racism

Investigating judges have ordered a trial before an assize court for eleven defendants in the case of the death of Thomas in Crépol (Drôme) in 2023, notably retaining the aggravating circumstance of racism against "the white race and the French nation", franceinfo learned on Friday September 25 from a source close to the case.

In their order, to which franceinfo had access, the magistrates order that eleven defendants be tried in particular for murder and attempted murder for having notably voluntarily killed Thomas Perotto in 2023 and for having attempted to kill three other people, with the aggravating circumstance of having made remarks against "the white race and the French nation". A twelfth suspect is dismissed for violence. All of these defendants still have the possibility of appealing this referral order to the Assize Court.

The Valence (Drôme) public prosecutor's office contested the racist nature of the murder of Thomas Perotto, in its final indictment delivered Monday August 17, retained by the investigating judges after receiving observations from certain civil parties. They had considered that the acts had been committed because of the victim's belonging or true or supposed non-belonging to an alleged race, ethnic group, nation or a specific religion, "in this case the white race and the French nation", specifies a source close to the case to franceinfo. The Valencia public prosecutor's office considered that these testimonies were in the minority, sometimes imprecise or even contradictory, and insufficient to characterize the accusation.

The perpetrator of the fatal blow still unknown

On the night of November 18 to 19, 2023, young people, some of whom came from the popular Monnaie district in Romans-sur-Isère, fought with a group of young people from Crépol at the end of the village's "winter ball". In a confusing context, they took out knives and seriously injured four people, including Thomas Perotto, a 16-year-old high school student and rugby fan, who died while being transported to hospital.

Arrested after the events, 14 young men were indicted, all for murder and attempted murder by an organized gang. None have ever admitted to delivering the fatal blow. Last June, the prosecution requested the referral to a criminal court of 11 of those accused for homicide and attempted homicide.