France has charged a policeman suspected of fracturing the skull of a 19-year-old woman during a 2018 beating, in a landmark case of alleged police brutality, prosecutors said Friday.
The officer’s indictment late on Thursday comes more than seven years after the incident in the southern city of Marseille, during the so-called yellow vest protests that swept the country.
The saleswoman, who has released only her first name Angelina, was returning from work with her boyfriend on December 8, 2018, when she was hit by a projectile in the thigh, knocking her over.
She was then beaten by a group of police officers, who kicked and clubbed her.
Her boyfriend was also assaulted by police when he tried to protect her.
Another police officer was charged with aggravated assault in December.
Six others were charged with not helping a person in danger in October. One of them is also being prosecuted for assaulting the woman’s boyfriend.
The case made waves after Angelina filed a complaint demanding an internal police investigation.
But the inquiry stalled as crucial evidence went missing, including recordings of conversations between officers, and security camera footage from the day.
Angelina’s lawyer, Brice Grazzini, said he was happy the probe was finally moving forward.
“The spectacular work of the investigating judge and the public prosecutor has made it possible to break this omerta, which is mind-blowing when it is aimed at covering up the extremely serious misconduct of police officers,” he said.
