Defence lawyer for French surgeon who sexually abused 299 found dead
Lawyer Maxime Tessier, 33, a defence counsel for former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, who was handed a 20-year jail sentence in May for variously raping and sexually assaulting 299 victims, mostly child patients, died in an apparent suicide overnight on Tuesday. Amid the shocked reactions to Tessier’s death, which one psychiatrist said may have been the result of vicarious trauma caused by the horror of Le Scouarnec’s crimes, a number criticised the lack of psychological support offered to lawyers faced with such harrowing cases. Hugo Lemonier and Mathilde Mathieu report.
MaximeMaxime Tessier, a 33-year-old lawyer and co-defence counsel for Joël Le Scouarnec, a former surgeon who stood trial earlier this year on charges of rape* and sexual assault of 299 victims, mostly child patients, died in an apparent suicide overnight on Tuesday. Le Scouarnec, whose trial lasted three months from February 24th to May 28th, was found guilty as charged and handed a 20-year jail sentence.
