The second trial of what’s become known as « The Outreau Affair » ended last December with the acquittal of all the defendants – they received public apologies from the court. The whole affair has finally been revealed as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in recent French history.
This appeal trail had been scheduled for May 2005, but following the broadcast of the documentary “The Phantoms of Outreau” and the investigation by on a probable mistaken identity of one of the accused, the trial had been delayed in order to allow for additional investigation by the magistrates and the defence.
After the « Dutroux Affair » in Belgium, this new « Outreau Affair » came to light in November 2001 in a grey, poor suburb of Boulogne in Northern France and quickly grabbed the attention of the media. The story seemed quite simple at first, but quickly spun out of control. It became the story of a multiple error of justice and a human tragedy. Today, it’s justice itself which stands accused…
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