Three years after he was shot at his home in Montérégie, a lawyer opened up about the psychological aftermath that continues to haunt him, even offering to “change his life” for his safety.
• Also read: Acquitted of attempted murder of a lawyer
“According to the Sûreté du Québec, my life was in danger. I was offered to change my life, to sever all ties to those around me. I declined. I couldn’t give up everything,” said Me Nicholas Daudelin recently during observations of the verdict of his two attackers.
Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ndiaye, 43, and Daouda Dieng, 37, opened fire on the civilians through the door of his home in Mont-Saint-Hilaire on March 26, 2020.
Photo evidence submitted to court
The door of his home in Mont-Saint-Hilaire through which he was shot.
At the last moment, however, the 35-year-old managed to throw himself behind a wall and was hit in the leg.
His attackers, initially charged with attempted murder, were instead convicted of firing a firearm.
Prosecutors asked for an “exemplary” sentence of 10 years, which could go up to 12 years given the particular context of this case.
Photo evidence submitted to court
Jean-François Malo and Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ndiaye were filmed together without their knowledge about a month after the crime.
According to what was presented to the court, the co-defendants accepted an assignment from Jean-François Malo, a real estate developer from Joliette. He had a multi-million dollar dispute with Mouvement Desjardins, then represented by Mr. Daudelin.
Multiple hiding spots
After the attack, the civilian said he and his wife had to hide in Witness Protection Program “hiding places” for about five months.
However, they have had to be relocated to different regions of Quebec on a number of occasions after some of their loved ones received threatening phone calls.
The couple, in their 30s, even once found themselves hiding in a retirement home.
“I always had the impression that I would fall for it and that this time it would not just be an attempt, it would actually be murder,” the lawyer said.
Despite the advice of the authorities, he has since returned home and his wife has given birth to their first child. However, the drama continued to haunt her.
” As soon [j’entends] a doorbell, in the evening, I’ll hide. Even three years later,” Me Daudelin confided to the court.
As a result, he reported poor concentration, self-confidence, insomnia, nightmares and panic attacks.
He said he was “numbed” by moments of joy or despair. He mentioned being more on “autopilot.”
“dehumanization”
Me Daudelin also regretted the motivations that led to this attack.
“I can’t believe that in Quebec, under the rule of law, you can attack a law enforcement officer. I was shot for carrying out my role as a lawyer,” the civilian recalled.
“Like chasing a deer. I found that extremely inhuman. »
►The verdict of accomplices Dieng and Ndiaye will be announced on May 15th. Defense attorneys have suggested prison sentences of 4 or 5 years. Jean-François Malo’s case, which is subject to a separate trial, is due to be brought back to court this morning as part of a motion to assert his right to have a lawyer at State expense.
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