San Francisco Frontiers - French court adjourns trial over 2020 death of delivery driver

The presiding judge of the Paris criminal court ruled that more time was needed to hear the case against the three police officers charged with the involuntary manslaughter of Cedric Chouviat in January 2020.

Earlier, lawyers for both sides had unanimously criticised the trial time -- one-and-a-half days -- as insufficient, in light of the request by the family's lawyers to argue that the court lacked jurisdiction. The case will now be heard over three days in June 2027.

Cedric Chouviat, a 42-year-old delivery driver, was tackled to the ground while wearing his motorbike helmet during an arrest in Paris on January 3, 2020 after he had called the police "clowns".

He told police nine times in 13 seconds that he was "suffocating", according to a video taken with his camera. Chouviat was brought to hospital in critical condition after losing consciousness and died two days later.

Three police officers face charges of involuntary homicide. All say they did not hear his pleas for help.

One of the officers, 33-year-old Michael P., brought Chouviat to the ground using a chokehold -- a technique that has since been banned.

According to court documents consulted by AFP, the officer's said his recollection of the arrest was "hazy".

"We were in an awkward position. As I recall, I slid my right forearm under his helmet," he said. "I made sure not to apply too much pressure."

The police officers "were acting in the context of a difficult arrest on a busy thoroughfare", Pauline Ragot, representing two of the officers, told AFP. She described the arrest as "legitimate".

In April, France's human rights ombudsman concluded, however, that the police had engaged in "inappropriate, negligent, and reckless behaviour".

Lawyers for Chouviat's family are challenging the involuntary homicide charge, arguing that a more serious charge should be applied.

"How can one argue that strangling someone while standing, strangling them on the ground ... hearing them say 'I'm suffocating, I'm suffocating,' and continuing to strangle and crush them -- is something that is not intentional?" asked Arie Alimi, a lawyer for the family.

Chouviat's father, Christian Chouviat, said he felt "anger" towards the officers.

"It is an anger that belongs only to me, and it will never go away. I will carry it to my grave," he said.

H.King--SFF