1985 – The Christian Marletta case

In 1985, Christian Marletta, a youth worker, was accused of murdering a child in his care. Jean-Daniel Bruschi, a civil lawyer, asked Philippe Vouland to join him in defending Marletta in this complex and devastating case.

At the time, DNA testing did not exist and an appeal was not an option, which made the defence considerably more difficult. The technological and judicial context posed serious obstacles to proving the accused’s innocence or challenging the evidence put forward by the prosecution.

Philippe Vouland brought his expertise and support to Jean-Daniel Bruschi. Together they worked to build a robust defence despite the technical and legal limitations. Their approach sought to demonstrate reasonable doubt as to Marletta’s guilt by closely examining the circumstantial evidence and witness statements.

After very lengthy deliberations, Christian Marletta was sentenced to life imprisonment. Despite this conviction, Marletta continues to protest his innocence.

Listen to Christophe Hondelatte’s interview with Philippe Vouland (in French): Link to the programme