French Police Officers Given Suspended Sentences in High-Profile Brutality Case

The case, which sparked protests in Paris, involved the assault of Théo Luhaka during a stop-and-search in 2017.

Three French police officers have been given suspended jail sentences for assaulting Théo Luhaka, a young black man, during a stop-and-search in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois in 2017.
Marc-Antoine Castelain, who was found guilty of the truncheon blow that left Mr. Luhaka permanently injured, received a 12-month suspended prison sentence. His colleagues Jeremie Dulin and Tony Hochart received three-month suspended terms.
The court rejected the charge of 'deliberate violence resulting in permanent mutilation or infirmity'.
The case sparked unrest and protests on housing estates in Paris.
Most cases against police officers for voluntary violence are dismissed before reaching trial in France, and in 2021 less than 15% of guilty judgments resulted in actual jail time served, official data shows.