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For membersThe first 30 seconds for everyone. Synthetic voice (AI).

In brief

  • The Court of Cassation rejected Paolo Falzone's appeal on Wednesday, 21 October, so his 27-year sentence for seven murders and 79 attempted murders is definitive.

  • Falzone will not be retried for the events of 20 March 2022 in Strépy-Bracquenies, following the Court of Cassation decision.

  • Falzone and his lawyer Frank Discepoli accept responsibility for the deaths but contest classifying the acts as manslaughter with intent to kill.

Strépy-Bracquenies
Strépy-Bracquenies · Belgium
How it came to this
  1. 20 MarCarnival incident in Strépy-Bracquenies
  2. 12 JunHainaut assize court issues one of two rulings
  3. 17 JunHainaut assize court sentences Falzone to 27 years
  4. 21 OctCourt of Cassation rejects Falzone's appeal

The appeal

Belgium's Court of Cassation on Wednesday, 21 October, dismissed the appeal Paolo Falzone filed against two rulings of the Hainaut assize court, dated 12 and 17 June. He will not be retried for the events of 20 March 2022 in Strépy-Bracquenies. His 27-year prison sentence for the murders of seven people and attempted murder of 79 others is now final.

The attack

The assize court found that the carnival incident in Strépy-Bracquegnies was not a traffic accident but seven counts of manslaughter and 79 attempted murders. According to the reporting, Falzone drove at high speed into a crowd from behind during the carnival. The Hainaut assize court ruled on 17 June, the date given for the 27-year sentence.

The legal dispute

Falzone and his lawyer do not dispute responsibility for the deaths of the seven carnival-goers. They contest the legal classification of the acts as manslaughter with intent to kill. Lawyer Frank Discepoli took the case to the Court of Cassation, which rejected the appeal.

Civil parties

A lawyer identified as de Béco said the ruling was a great relief for the clients. The lawyer noted that this was likely the first time civil parties attended a hearing at the Court of Cassation, where the debates are highly technical. The lawyer said the presence of the victims showed how much the case weighs on them.

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Sources and context

  • 7sur71 h agoPaolo Falzone definitively convicted: the Court of Cassation rejects his appealPaolo Falzone définitivement condamné: la Cour de cassation rejette son pourvoi · original in French
  • vrtnws.be2 h agoJudgment not overturned: Paolo Falzone definitively convicted for 7-fold manslaughter at carnival tragedy in StrépyArrest niet verbroken: Paolo Falzone definitief veroordeeld voor 7-voudige doodslag bij carnavalsdrama in Strépy | VRT NWS Nieuws · original in Dutch

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Published today at 16:08.

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Text generated by AI from the reports of the publishers listed and checked automatically, with no human editor. How Pollar is made

In this text

  1. 1The appealThe appeal
  2. 2The attackThe attack
  3. 3The legal disputeThe legal dispute
  4. 4Civil partiesCivil parties

Based on reports by

7sur7, vrtnws.be

List of sources

Safety · Strépy-Bracquenies

Paolo Falzone's conviction for Strépy carnival attack is final after Cassation rejects appeal

Belgium's Court of Cassation on Wednesday, 21 October, rejected Paolo Falzone's appeal against his 27-year sentence for the March 2022 Strépy carnival attack that killed seven people.

AI text based on reports by 7sur7 and vrtnws.be. Published today at 16:08.

Strépy-Bracquenies
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