Hamida Djandoubi

Timeline

• 1968 — Hamida Djandoubi started living and working in Marseille, France, as a packer.
• 1971 — Djandoubi lost his job after a workplace accident removed two-thirds of his right leg.
• spring of 1973 — Djandoubi was arrested and released from custody during the spring of 1973.
• July 1974 — Djandoubi kidnapped Elisabeth Bousquet and took her into his home, where he beat her in full view of two young girls and stubbing a lit cigarette all over her breasts and genital area.
• one month after 7 July 1974 — Elisabeth Bousquet’s body was identified in a shed by two children on 7 July 1974, and the two girls finally took their story to the authorities.
• 7 July 1974 — Bousquet’s body was discovered in a shed by two children.
• 24 February 1977 — Djandoubi appeared in court in Aix-en-Provence on charges of torture-murder, rape and premeditated violence.
• 25 February 1977 — Djandoubi was condemned to death.
• 9 June (year not stated) — An appeal against his sentence was rejected.
• 10 September 1977 — Djandoubi was executed by guillotine at Baumettes Prison in Marseille at 4:40 a.m.

Background

Hamida Djandoubi was a Tunisian immigrant who started living and working in Marseille, France in 1968, as a packer. He lost his job in 1971 after a workplace accident removed two-thirds of his right leg. Djandoubi’s legal case involved revenge connected to a complaint made against him.

The offence

A 21-year-old woman, Elisabeth Bousquet, filed a complaint against Djandoubi for illegal confinement and cruelty. She claimed that he tried to force her into prostitution. After his arrest and eventual release from custody during the spring of 1973, Djandoubi drew two other young girls into his confidence and forced them to “work” for him.

In July 1974, Djandoubi kidnapped Bousquet and took her into his home, where, in full view of the terrified girls, he beat her mercilessly and stubbing a lit cigarette all over her breasts and genital area. After Bousquet survived the ordeal, Djandoubi took her by car to an outskirt of Marseille and strangled her. After returning, Djandoubi warned the two girls to say nothing of what they had seen.

Investigation

Bousquet’s body was identified one month after its discovery in a shed by two children on 7 July 1974. It was not until then that the two girls found the courage to take their story to the authorities.

Arrest

Djandoubi was arrested after the complaint filed by Elisabeth Bousquet and was later released from custody during the spring of 1973.

Trial

Djandoubi eventually appeared in court in Aix-en-Provence on charges of torture-murder, rape and premeditated violence on 24 February 1977. His main defence was that the effects of the amputation of his leg six years earlier had driven him to a paroxysm of alcohol and violence, turning him into a “different” man. The court condemned him to death.

Verdict / sentence

On 25 February 1977, Djandoubi was condemned to death.

Appeals

An appeal against Djandoubi’s sentence was rejected on 9 June.

Outcome

Djandoubi was executed by guillotine at Baumettes Prison in Marseille on 10 September 1977. He was woken to be informed that all hope of a presidential reprieve had failed. Shortly afterwards, at 4:40 a.m., he was executed.

Aftermath

Marcel Chevalier served as chief executioner. Djandoubi’s life story was told in the book When the Guillotine Fell written by the Canadian author Jeremy Mercer. While Djandoubi was the last person executed in France, he was not the last condemned. Capital punishment was abolished in France in 1981 following the election of François Mitterrand.

Djandoubi confessed to Bousquet’s murder, saying:

“I put the scarf around her neck and she didn’t struggle when I began to choke her. … I choked her for a few minutes and then I asked for the flashlight so I could make sure she was really dead. At one point, for reasons I can’t really explain, I kicked the girl’s nose but she didn’t move.”

The Associated Press review of the book described Djandoubi as:

“Handsome and exotic, he seduced and then controlled several young women, before torturing one of them to death,”

Other details

Djandoubi was described as a Tunisian immigrant, born in Tunisia around 1949, and his age is given as c. 1949–10 September 1977. Elisabeth Bousquet was 21 years old.

The case generated a great deal of attention throughout France. The death penalty could be avoided if the jury concluded there were “extenuating circumstances,” but the jury said “no,” and Djandoubi went to the guillotine.