The case presented at the local court of Saint-Martin is complex because it involves a father and son, mired in a family conflict that has lasted for several years.
In the dock were two men, EA, 81, and his adopted son, LA, 48. The tension between them was so high that their proximity in this confined space made the younger of the two defendants very nervous: “This affair has cost me my career and my family life, I don’t want anything to do with him anymore.”
The incident occurred on December 22nd: EA, the patriarch of a large family in Saint Martin, is accused of deliberately driving his vehicle, considered a weapon by nature, at his son LA, who had come to make a delivery for some work on the property. Taken by surprise, LA jumped forward onto the hood to avoid the impact. He then opened the driver's side door and tried to force his father out, striking him violently. His father fled into the garden, and LA attempted to injure him with stones and a wooden slat. This particularly chaotic scene represents the latest episode in a long-standing father-son family conflict whose origins remain unclear.
“My father has been damaging my work for years. Since my mother's death, he has denied us access to the part of the property that rightfully belongs to us and is violent.” These accusations are partially corroborated by several testimonies from those close to him, who describe him as an aggressive man. The defendant, EA, is also a repeat offender for similar crimes.
The father, for his part, blames his son: “He provoked me and threw himself at my car. He's already beaten me three times.” During her closing arguments, the deputy prosecutor emphasized the dangerousness of EA, aged 81, who has four prior convictions. The son is also implicated. Placed under judicial supervision since this incident, he is receiving psychological counseling. She therefore requested a mixed sentence of 12 months in prison for the father, with six months to be served and six months suspended, and a one-year suspended sentence and a €500 fine for his son. The verdict was deferred until a later date. _THERE
