When he was to render his judgment on Friday, the Marseille criminal court announced that it was reopening the proceedings on the proceedings that Magali Carcopino-Tusoli, daughter of Didier Raoult, has brought against a former collaborator of her father. This decision was taken in view of a new element.
The plaintiff attacked Eric Charbrière, nicknamed “the sheriff of the IHU”, for defamation and public insults. She and her husband suspect him of hiding behind the “Le Professionnel” Twitter account (now suspended) which, in the fall of 2021, had broadcast a series of abusive remarks and false and insulting allegations aimed at them.
The sheriff betrays by his phone number?
Since the first hearing, on January 6, Philippe Carlini, the couple’s lawyer, has provided what he considers to be proof of the defendant’s involvement, namely the telephone number associated with the @LeProfessionne9 account. And this number is that of Eric Chabrière although he firmly denied being the holder of this account. “My phone number has been public for years, anyone can create an account with my number,” he insisted in court this Friday morning.
Philippe Carlini reminds him that when creating a Twitter account, a validation code is always sent to the associated telephone number, as well as certification, suspension and reactivation messages. But “Mr. Chabrière never said he received curious messages” from Twitter, the lawyer was surprised.
” No proof “
“We have no proof that the @LeProfessionne9 account has opted for double identification, or even that on this date, a telephone number or an email were essential for the creation of an account”, retorts Ludovic Heringuez, asking again the release of his client.
During the first debates, the defense of the Carcopino-Tusoli couple, who are claiming 10,000 euros in damages for each, had pointed out that on three occasions Eric Chabrière had assumed to be the holder of the @LeProfessionne9 account. When a user had asked him in particular “So you are good @EChabriere”, “The Professional” had replied “yes, yes”.
Eric Chabrière, with 66,000 followers on Twitter, had acquired the nickname “IHU sheriff” for his frenzy of tweets in defense of the IHU Méditerranée Infection, then headed by Pr Raoult. “The IHU was attacked, harassed, defamed. We could only answer on a scientific level, ”he justified himself at the hearing in January. Faced with Covid, Magali Carcopino-Tusoli had pleaded for vaccination while her father defended treatment with hydroxychloroquine.
The court adjourned the case to May 5.