Horror images of the terror attacks of 13 November 2015 in France have been shown in court for the first time seven months after the trial started. The hearing was attended by approximately 250 victims and their families.
The court first played three short fragments of a two-hour audio recording made with a dictaphone. The dictaphone remained switched on during the attack on the Bataclan.
The courtroom held its breath when the music of the group Eagles of Death Metal was interrupted by shots from Kalashnikovs. When the fire stopped for a moment, only screams could be heard. Then firing resumed at a faster cadence.
In a second clip, a hostage called to law enforcement: “They have explosives, don’t come in or they’ll blow everything up.” In the third piece you can hear instructions from law enforcement.
“Bodies, Bodies, Bodies”
Until now, not a single image of the massacre of 90 people had been shown. That changed when about thirty photos were shown on a screen. Those present saw a floor strewn with shards of glass at the entrance to the Bataclan and handbags left behind. Traces of blood were also discussed, followed by “bodies, bodies, bodies”, as a policeman had aptly described at the beginning of the trial in September.
The assize court eventually responded to a repeated question from the victims’ association Life for Paris. He wanted the images to be shown at the hearing. “At an assize trial, first and foremost, the scene of the crime must be shown. This should be no exception, even if the scenes are painful, horrific and morbid,” said lawyer Jean-Marc Delas.
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