City of Marseille: a troubling wave of killings (Photo: phgaillard)
Lawyer's slit throat rocks crime-infested Marseille
Published: 02 Dec 2012 11:26 GMT+01:00 | Print version
Updated: 02 Dec 2012 11:26 GMT+01:00
A murder investigation is under way after a lawyer was found with her throat slit in the heart of the crime-ridden city of Marseille.
A colleague found Raymonde Talbot's body in her office on the Maport city's main business street on Friday, police said.
The third-floor office was locked and no murder weapon was found, they said.
"It's blood-chilling," a fellow lawyer said.
"We don't know the exact circumstances but the whole profession is concerned."
Marseille deputy mayor Caroline Pozmentier said the authorities were "revolted by this odious act which has rocked not only the legal profession but the entire city."
While little is known about the circumstances surrounding this murder, there has been growing concern in government circles at a wave of killings in Marseille.
So far this year, 18 people have been killed there in crimes linked to inter-gang rivalry, many of them gunned down in killings linked to the drugs trade.
On September 6th, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced beefed-up security with 250 extra police to tackle deadly gang violence in Marseille.
But a number of police officers have been also suspended as part of a corruption investigation in the city.
Today's headlines
France said on Thursday that there were dead among the victims of twin bombings at a uranium processing plant owned by French nuclear giant Areva and a military base in northern Niger.
READ () »
British fraud suspect found dead in French jail. File photo: X1klima/flickr
A British national, suspected of being the mastermind of €1.6 million bank fraud scam in France was found hanged in his cell in a French prison this week.
READ () »
Photo:AFP
Germany's opposition Social Democrats mark their 150th birthday Thursday, with French President Francois Hollande as the only foreign speaker and conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel in the audience.
READ () »
File photo
Liberté, egalité, fraternité, the famous motto of the French Republic must be displayed on the facade of all French schools and the Tricolour flag must also be on show outside all establishments, the French Senate ruled on Wednesday.
READ () »
IMF chief Lagarde face Frecnh court this week. Photo: AFP
French prosecutors investigating corruption are set to decide on Thursday whether to charge IMF chief Christine Lagarde over her handling of a row that resulted in a €400 million payout being paid to disgraced businessman Bernard Tapie.
READ () »
Bill Clinton tells the French to be positive in his interview with Europe1 radio. Photo: screenshot Europe1.
The former US President Bill Clinton had a message for the French public on a visit to Paris this week - “don’t be too pessimistic”.
READ () »
Lebanese Shiite Muslim Hezbollah militants ride on a vehicle carrying a Fajr 5 missile during an annual parade. Photo Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP
France is to call for the military arm of Hezbollah to be added to an EU terror blacklist due to its backing of the Syrian regime, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced on Wednesday.
READ () »
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was evacuated for the second time in two days on Wednesday when a topless feminist staged a mock suicide in front of the altar the day after far-right historian Dominique Venner shot himself in the church.
READ () »
Libyan security services and civilians gather across the street after a car bomb attack on the French embassy in Tripoli, Libya on April 23rd. Photo: Mahmud Turkia/AFP
France is to shell out millions of euros on increasing security around its embassies in Africa and the Middle East, the French foreign office announced on Wednesday. The move comes after a car bomb attack on its Libyan embassy last month.
READ () »
Opinion - Elitism in France
France's National Assembly where the corridors are patrolled by an elite who are not good at doing their job, argues author Peter Gumbel. Photo: Ell Brown.
There is no egalité when it comes to France’s ruling class, which is dominated by an elite clique where a ‘jobs for the boys’ culture prevails, argues British author Peter Gumbel in his new book. Here he tells The Local how this elitism is holding France back.
READ () »
.jpg&mode=resize&size=300x200)
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.