Nicolas Zepeda has been on trial before the Vesoul Court of Appeal (Haute-Saône) since December 4, 2023. He is accused of the assassination of his ex-girlfriend Narumi Kurosaki in 2016 in Besançon. The Chilean was sentenced once again to 28 years of criminal imprisonment. His lawyer announces that he will appeal to the Court of Cassation. Follow the end of this extraordinary trial minute by minute.
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3:01 p.m. : The hearing resumes.
3 p.m. : “I am surprised by all the answers to the question of homicidal intent and premeditation, I think that there is a real debate, that was the meaning of our interventions with Sylvain Cormier yesterday, I deplores this decision. I nevertheless accept it and we have a means of appeal, the cassation appeal, which has a good chance of prospering and being successful. It is entirely possible that Mr. Zepeda will be retried in a few months to explain the facts again. Nicolas Zepeda naturally blames the blow, it’s obviously a disappointment. He’s disappointed, we all are.”for his part declared Me Cormier, second lawyer for Nicolas Zepeda.
2:52 p.m. : Me Portejoie, questioned by the press, has already announced his client’s appeal to the Court of Cassation. “It is a confirmation decision, therefore it is a decision which is below the requisitions of the attorney general who had requested life imprisonment. It’s still a disappointment nonetheless. We argued on factual and legal grounds. We had requested acquittal, in this logic, we will naturally be able to appeal to the Court of Cassation.”reacted the Clermont-Ferrand lawyer.
2:45 p.m. : The civil hearing is open. Me Galley is asking for 80,000 euros in damages for each of the victim’s parents and 60,000 euros for each of Narumi Kurosaki’s sisters. Me Schwerdorffer is asking for the sum of 5,000 euros for Arthur Del Piccolo, the victim’s boyfriend at the time of the facts. The court then retires to deliberate.
2:41 p.m. : Nicoas Zepeda is still sobbing, hidden behind the wooden wall of his box. His father Humberto approaches him to console him and stroke his hair.
2:35 p.m. : The court retires again to deliberate on civil interests.
2:33 p.m. : Nicolas Zepeda did not react immediately to the announcement of the verdict. He then disappears, crying, into his box, curled up on himself. The parents of the accused, although present throughout the trial, were not there when the sentence was announced. They arrived a few moments later in the courtroom.
The Chilean is found guilty of murder. He received a 28-year prison sentenceas in first instance. After serving his sentence, he will be prohibited from staying on French territory.
2:30 p.m. : “Mr Zepeda, please stand up. Here are the answers to the questions asked”said President François Arnaud.
Is Nicolas Zepeda guilty of intentionally killing Narumi Kurosaki? YES answered the court and the jurors.
Did Nicolas Zepeda previously intend to commit the murder? YES answered the court and the jurors.
The 3rd question on cohabitation is not relevant.
2:28 p.m. : the hearing is resumed.
2:25 p.m. : the accused Nicolas Zepeda, mine closed, returned to settle in his box. An impressive silence reigns in the room. The lawyers get ready in turn and put on their black robes.
2:20 p.m. : The deliberation is coming to an end. The sentence is expected to be pronounced in a few minutes. All the journalists returned to their posts, as did the interpreters. The courtroom fills up quickly. Many curious people wish to attend the announcement of the verdict.
2:04 p.m. : The verdict is still awaited from Vesoul. Deliberations have been underway for almost five hours. Twelve people are deciding the legal fate of Nicolas Zepeda. French, Chilean and Japanese journalists pace around the courthouse. Is acquittal possible? Will the Chilean receive a life sentence? The suspense remains and the predictions are going well.
11:45 a.m. : While waiting for the verdict, we invite you to delve back into the Zepeda-Kurosaki affair, which began in 2016 in Besançon. From the disappearance of Narumi Kurosaki to the conviction at first instance of Nicolas Zepeda for assassination, take a look back at our video archives:
11:15 a.m. : Patience is required. The jurors, the president and his assessors are still deliberating. In the event of a second conviction of the Chilean by the Vesoul Assize Court of Appeal, the latter will have five days to file an appeal in cassation if he wishes to contest the verdict. The jurisdiction of the Court of Cassation is limited to verifying the correct application of the law. It does not re-examine the facts which gave rise to the dispute. In the event of violation of a rule of law by the Assize Court of Appeal, the Court of Cassation may overturn the latter’s judgment and, possibly, refer the case to another court of appeal. A third trial would then take place.
9:09 a.m. : The hearing is suspended during deliberations. This may take several hours. At first instance, these lasted more than four hours.
Precision :
> Deliberation on guilt: a majority of 7 votes is necessary for any decision unfavorable to the accused.
> Deliberation on the sentence: the decision is taken by an absolute majority of voters (at least 7 votes), but the maximum sentence can only be pronounced by a majority of 7 votes.
9:06 a.m. : The three questions that the jurors will have to answer are the following:
> Is Nicolas Zepeda guilty of intentionally killing Narumi Kurosaki?
> Had he previously formed the intention of committing the murder?
> Was he Narumi Kurosaki’s former partner?
The court will go to the deliberations room, away from prying eyes and curious ears. Votes will take place by secret written ballots and by separate and successive ballots. The nine popular jurors, the president and his assessors, will only be able to leave their room after having made a decision.
9:03 a.m. : The hearing resumes. The floor is given to Nicolas Zepeda. He sighs, taking his time before starting. “In this trial, we talked a lot about what I did wrong, what I did, what I didn’t say. I am certainly, certainly, very far from being the one I would like to be… But I’m not an assassin. I’m not an assassin! I didn’t kill Narumi! I don’t know how else to say it. I didn’t kill her! I’m not an assassin. Thank you.” Nicolas Zepeda disappears sobbing in his box.
The hearing is scheduled to begin around 9 a.m.
This Thursday, a final word must be left to the accused. Then, the court will retire for several hours to deliberate and decide on a sanction against the 33-year-old Chilean. The day before, the pleadings of the different parties took place. That of Me Galley, lawyer for the Kurosaki family, was particularly moving. Étienne Manteaux, attorney general, requested a life sentence, taking up point by point the evidence against Nicolas Zepeda. The defense lawyers, for their part, pleaded for the acquittal of their client, forcefully recalling the notion of presumption of innocence and seeking to discredit the prosecution’s version and in particular the demonstration made earlier by Etienne Manteaux. In his box, Nicolas Zepeda remained attentive and calm. He took numerous notes and shed a few tears when his lawyer, Me Portejoie, spoke directly to him.
► (Re)read the progress of the 12th day of Nicolas Zepeda’s appeal trial.
Nicolas Zepeda, who has proclaimed his innocence from the start, was sentenced to 28 years in prison during his trial at first instance, in Besançon, in April 2022. He is accused of having murdered Narumi Kurosaki, a 21-year-old Japanese student. , who was his ex-girlfriend at the time of the incident. The victim’s body was never found despite years of searching. The Chilean faces a life sentence. He continues to forcefully deny his involvement.
► Find all our articles about the assassination of Narumi Kurosaki.