Conviction (Une Intime conviction)

On 27th February 2000,

mother of three Suzanne Viguier disappeared without a trace.

Her husband, Jacques Viguier, was soon suspected of her murder.

9 years later,

he was tried for the murder of his wife.

with complete honesty the impression made on them

by the evidence against the accused and the arguments in his defence.

The law asks them but one question,

which sums up the extent of their duty:

"Are you absolutely convinced?"

Mr Viguier, you must wait in court until a verdict is reached.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, please come with me.

After deliberating for three hours,

the nine jurors answered "no"...

Jacques Viguier was acquitted today.

This law professor was accused of killing...

The prosecution demanded 15 to 20 years...

I'm sure the jury was in no doubt that Viguier was guilty, but...

Jacques Viguier has been acquitted. He'll sleep at home tonight.

But the law professor isn't done with the courts yet.

We learnt late this morning that there'll be another Viguier trial.

The Toulouse public prosecutor has appealed.

The law professor...

It's quite shocking

for the prosecution to appeal against the jury's verdict.

But they have the right.

So there'll be another trial in 2010.

What will happen if he's found guilty and sentenced?

CONVICTION

See you.

- All right? - Yeah.

- Was it good? - Yeah. Thanks.

- Did you play well? - Yeah.

Sorry we're late.

- Hi. - All right?

- Filou, homework first, shower after. - Yeah.

There, write "250". I'll do it for you.

It's important to know how to do this.

Really?

- So what's that the mass of? - The page.

What's the point of knowing the mass of a page?

Just work it out, it's easy.

- To find out the mass of a page? - Yes.

I didn't set the problem.

That's the sort of lawyer your dad needs.

He's got people off in some very complicated cases.

- Will you talk to him? - Yeah.

He's in a down phase. It could be a while.

- Bye. - See you.

Any news about Melun?

All right. Yeah, fine.

- Maître Dupond-Moretti? - Hello, Madam.

I called about the Viguier case.

I have nothing to do with it. In your job you should do some research.

I'm not a journalist.

I'd like you to take the case.

Where will it be?

Albi.

I don't shake hands with the court president.

Why?

He's dishonest. He's convicted two that I got off in a first trial.

When is it?

- In March. - March?

No, I can't, it's impossible.

They don't even know she's dead. Maybe she just ran away.

The case is all hearsay.

And the press were disgusting.

There's no body, no evidence, no motive.

But I have no time.

And I can't just take the case at the last moment.

Goodbye.

Yes?

When?

For too long we've tolerated the irresponsibility of some parents...

- Don't you understand French? - It's all in here.

I'd need the court file.

This is better. I dissected the first trial.

- What are you doing? - You know what they accuse him of?

I should be in Montauban already.

Let me park my car and I'll come with you.

- No. - This is a miscarriage of justice.

That's enough, now get out.

Get out!

If he wanted a new lawyer, he'd ask me himself!

He can't, he's sick!

All right, wait!

What's she up to?

Table number 6, one person. The chicken, please.

Take that! If it's cold, the customer won't come again.

- Do you enjoy terrorising her? - That's how they learn.

- I have a bit of time later. - How much is "a bit"?

About two hours, shower included.

I can hardly wait!

Tell me how much I owe you!

See you tomorrow.

You've got one there.

- What? - A cushion.

You're not a sharer!

Stop it!

You won't share your cushion.

Stop it!

Am I bothering you?

Go for it!

Go on!

It's Éric Dupond-Moretti. How are you?

I'm fine. Hello.

You want to see me?

I don't know, Bordeaux's a bit tricky.

At this number?

He's not even local. How will that help him?

An innocent man doesn't change lawyers.

I'm not talking to you.

Jacques Viguier changes his lawyer

Good evening.

Can I still get something to eat?

Sorry, the kitchens closed two hours ago.

I'll see what I can do, but...

Hello.

Hello.

I talked to Viguier on the phone. Do you know him or not?

- I'm a friend of Clémence. - That's what he told me.

And he lets a friend of Clémence interfere in his case?

I was at the first trial.

How do you know Clémence? She's only 20.

What's this, the third degree?

I need to know who I'm dealing with.

She teaches my son maths.

We talked, one thing led to another...

She's affected me, I can't help it.

This is all pretty unusual.

I read your notes.

There's interesting stuff here.

But I can't use it in court.

- Why? - I can't mention the first trial.

But you worked hard on it.

- What's your job? - Chef.

Honest! I'm a chef in a brasserie in Toulouse.

You should come for lunch.

All I can serve you is some charcuterie, I'm sorry.

There's some crème brûlée too.

- You like that, I believe. - All right.

And a drop of champagne.

- Bon appétit! - Thank you.

They've spoilt you!

What a bloody life!

I had a reconciliation with Richiardi.

Who's Richiardi?

The Albi court president. He was quite pleasant on the phone.

But

there's still this rumour about him.

He so hates his colleague in Toulouse that he quashes guilty verdicts

and overturns acquittals.

Petty in-fighting.

- But there are the jurors. - Yeah.

Fortunately.

Well

do you want to help me?

Yes, I'd like to help.

I'll explain.

Richiardi has been magnanimous

with the phone-tapping recordings.

Phone-tapping?

250 hours of recordings.

My predecessors begged for them, and he hands them over

six weeks before the trial.

Obviously I can't listen to them all.

Do you feel up to the job?

Don't you have an army of juniors for that?

I have two, working on the cases I had to dump.

There's no one who knows the case as well as you do.

All you have to do is listen and note anything interesting.

Can you help or not?

Well, I'd like to but...

I'm going skiing with my son in just over a week, and...

It's a big responsibility.

That's for sure.

But you already took on that responsibility

when you came looking for me.

What's on the recordings?

Viguier's phone, his parents'

and the lover's. He talks a lot.

- What do you think of the lover? - Durandet?

What do you want me to think? He's adamant that Viguier is guilty.

He requested me when he associated with the prosecution. I refused.

At the first trial he was convincing, he seemed sincere.

He moved everyone, he cried.

Yeah.

And the husband convinces no one.

He's bipolar, that's how it is.

It's the worst sort of situation for me.

He's been acquitted once.

If he isn't this time, everyone'll say it's my fault.

You've got the case file. There's nothing in it, right?

Yeah, they've got sod all!

But court cases are delicate.

Why do you think the prosecutor appealed?

They've had their culprit for ten years.

If they want to destroy him, they will.

- Hello. - Olivier?

- Yeah. - Hi.