Locked up but in his hospital room: comedian Pierre Palmade was remanded in custody on Monday in connection with the serious traffic accident he caused on February 10 while under the influence of cocaine.
• Also read: After a serious accident, comedian Palmade is investigated for child pornography
• Also read: Pierre Palmade under house arrest in a hospital
• Also read: Traffic accident by Pierre Palmade: The comedian tested positive for cocaine
At the end of the morning, the investigative chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal lifted the house arrest of the 54-year-old comedian under electronic bracelet in a hospital’s addiction department and issued a deposit warrant, one “immediately”. enforceable decision,” announced Attorney General Rémy Heitz in a press release.
The Paris judges joined prosecutors who appealed a February 17 decision by a liberty judge and jailed Melun, saying the provisional detention was necessary to “prevent the resumption of the crime and to perpetuate the ongoing investigation.” A source familiar with the matter told AFP news agency.
In the immediate future, however, Pierre Palmade’s situation will not change significantly. Victim of a stroke on Saturday evening, the actor was transported to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital (Val-de-Marne) for treatment this weekend, according to those around him.
Pierre Palmade, now a dependant of Fresnes Correctional Facility, began his pre-trial detention from his hospital bed by serving his placement order and his detention. His change in status is particularly reflected in a guard posted outside his door, according to various sources familiar with the matter.
“The placement in custody (…) was carried out by the public prosecutor’s office at the Melun Judicial Court,” says a press release from the parquet floor of Melun. “Due to the state of health of the person concerned, this decision has not yet resulted in a transfer to a correctional facility,” he added.
He will remain in hospital for as long as doctors think his condition warrants: if he is eligible for release there will be a re-evaluation to see if he can be transferred to regular detention (with certain types of care) can go or whether he did go to a specialized facility, a source familiar with the matter told AFP.
On February 10, Pierre Palmade was driving a car on a departmental road in Seine-et-Marne and collided with a vehicle in front. In addition to the actor, three were seriously injured in the accident: a 38-year-old man, his 6-year-old son and his 27-year-old sister-in-law, who lost her expected baby after the collision.
In police custody, according to the Melun prosecutor, Pierre Palmade admitted to using cocaine and synthetic drugs before driving.
He was charged with manslaughter and negligent bodily harm at the hands of a driver who had used narcotics while in a state of legal relapse. The investigation continues under the direction of an investigating magistrate.
According to the latest health information provided by the Prosecutor’s Office, the driver of the hit vehicle and his son are still in the hospital in serious condition.
In addition to this case, investigations into possession of child pornographic images, which were initiated after a report to the police, are ongoing. So far, no charges have been filed against the comedian in this new case. His apartment in Paris and his house in Seine-et-Marne were searched and computer equipment was confiscated.
A man was charged Saturday with distributing and possessing child pornography images and has been placed under court oversight as part of those investigations.
Since the accident and the many ultra-media revelations about the life of Pierre Palmade, no one from his close circle has spoken out, apart from one of his sisters. In a statement on February 14, she said he was “ashamed” and would “take all the consequences of his actions, with the horrible knowledge that he will never be able to undo the damage he has done.” “.