The Facts:
Dutroux grew up in the Belgian
Congo. When his parents divorced, he went to live with his mother, in the
Walloon Obaix. He had a rebellious and
difficult childhood but graduated as an electrician, he nevertheless was often
unemployed.
Dutroux married for the first
time when he was 22, and had two children. In 1985 he divorced and he was by
his ex-wife accused of abuse. That year
was also the first time Marc Dutroux was arrested (suspicion of theft and
rape).
In 1988 he married for the
second time, with Michelle Martin, with whom he already had a child. Together
they had still a few children. Since the
mid-eighties, Martin would have helped abduct girls, allegedly because she was
afraid of Dutroux.
In 1989, Dutroux and Martin were both convicted of rape of minors.
Dutroux was given a prison sentence of
13 years, and his wife Michelle Martin
a sentence of five years. In 1992 they were by the then Minister of Justice Melchior Wathelet under the Act Lejeune
released early. (Note that Dutroux only
three years of the 13 year had sentence)
Marc Dutroux owned seven houses, but four of them are
used by Dutroux for his kidnapping.
The research:
because the Spaghetti judgment
resulted in the autumn of 1996 to commotion, Judge Jean Marc Connerotte was forced
to a departure of investigating. Connerotte had a benefit-night for the parents
of missing children participated and a spaghetti dinner and got a fountain pen.
This was a violation of the impartiality that is required function and he was
fired. (Was this reason or he did his
work thoroughly?)
The public distrusted police
and government, and showed that in a large protest demonstration at Brussels,
called the White March. Connerottes successor Jacques Langlois was a beginner,
the Dutroux investigation was his first case. Unlike attorney Michel Bourlet he did not believe that Dutroux and
Michel Nihoul co-defendant were involved in a prostitution network. The
Langlois took almost eight years to bring the case to get finish. But extensive
backgrounds were not sought.
It is incomprehensible and even suspected that
Connerotte was replaced by a debutant.
The Process:
On March 1, 2004 began the
trial of Marc Dutroux, his wife Michelle Martin, Michel Lelievre their friend
and businessman Michel Nihoul.
It was held in Arlon, because
the courtroom of the Court of Assizes is insufficient room accommodate the
thousands of journalists and other interested parties, for what soon was called
as: - "The process of the Century".
Prime suspect Dutroux aloof
goes for kidnapping and detention of Julie Lejeune, Melissa Russo, An Marchal,
Eefje Lambrecks, Sabine Dardenne, Laetitia Delhez and of his accomplice Bernard
Weinstein. Dutroux was also justified the murder of Bernard Weinstein, An and
Eefje. He was also charged with the kidnapping of four
teenagers in his truck, rape of the aforementioned girls and 3 other girls,
drug trafficking, illegal car trade, fake identification and robbery with
violence. These crimes were dealt with in a separate process.
The statements of witness X1 (Regina Louf) about a secret network in which children were abused
and murdered and whose Dutroux and Nihoul were part, were examined, but there
were, according to the prosecutor
found no evidence that her story would be based on truth. The court decided this track or rail to Satanic ritual abuse continue
not to follow. Way they did no farther
research?
Besides investigating judge
Connerotte were the two surviving victims Sabine Dardenne and Laetitia Delhez
heard. Both girls claimed to have been kidnapped by Dutroux and long to be held
and abused. Sabine Sat 81 days stuck in a small space in Dutroux 'basement. Her
testimony is described in the book "I was twelve and I biked to
school" in 2004. She refused emphatically apologize Michelle Martin to
accept. Laetitia explained how at age 14 on the street by Dutroux in a van was
kidnapped and taken to his house. Here she was drugged and abused by him. She
sat with Sabine locked in the basement.
Unlike Sabine, Laetitia is believed that Dutroux was
part of a pedophile ring. The existence of this network has not been studied in
the process.
Between 8 March and 19 May
2004, more than 560 witnesses were heard. After the indictment and pleadings
received on 10 June 2004 the defendants have the last word. In a three-hour
speech presented Dutroux himself again as victims rather than perpetrators.
The verdict:
On 17 June 2004 the jury the
defendants Dutroux guilty of all the facts alleged. Dutroux was also found
guilty of kidnapping and murder of six girls. According to the jury, he stood
at the head of a criminal gang and he is also responsible for the rape of three
girls from Slovakia. On 22 June 2004 he was sentenced to life imprisonment
and 10 years internment. Michelle Martin got 30 years in prison, Michel
Lelièvre 25 years. Michel Nihoul was acquitted of involvement in the kidnapping
but got 5 years for drug trafficking and conspiracy.
The sentence:
Both Martin and Lelièvre has
requested early release, in application of the Law Lejeune. On 31 July 2012 was
awarded to Martin, under certain conditions. This led to outrage from the
families of the victims and manifestations. On 19 August 2012 climbed to 5,000
people at the courthouse, on the initiative of Father Lejeune. On August 28,
2012 Michelle Martin left the prison. (See also in WikipediA
"Dutroux")
The conditional release of Michelle Martin while less
dangerous accomplice Michel Lelièvre his request was rejected, points indisputably
to privileged treatment of Michelle Matin, which, however, in higher dimensions
it be held responsible, as regards the presumption of exclusive protection from
above only strengthened.
The idea that Dutroux was protected and there an
organization behind was hidden, given its general level of development almost
inevitable, while in this case, Michel Nihoul, given his history, personality
and activities, suspected to be of playing a crucial role in a any background
organization. This raises
the question, where did Dutroux his finances away, owning seven houses, which
were used mostly by himself, is no trifle? In this circumstances the question
is why they not investigating an underlying organization or network?
The remarkable thing about this story is that for years
know that the perpetrator each relapse and be him for safety reasons no longer
may be free to leave, but they not change the rules for release on parole or in
such cases to reverse such rules, on the contrary the most perilous are first
released.
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