French doctor accused of killing his wife acquitted after 14 years

Photo credit : sonoranleadership.org

Jean-Louis Muller accused of murdering his wife fourteen years ago has been acquitted.

Sentenced twice to twenty years in prison for the murder of son épouse, Brigitte Muller, found dead in the family home on November 8, 1999, le docteur Jean-Louis Muller was acquitted thursday, October 31, by the cour d'assises de Meurthe-et-Moselle.

Photo credit : franceinfo.fr

On the evening of November 8, 1999 , in the basement of the house where the Mullers lived with their two children, the beautiful wife of the doctor, Mme Muller, a librarian of 42 years, passionate about literature and Italy, was found dead, shot in the head, with a 357 Magnum belonging to her husband Jean- Louis Muller, GP.

At 9:24pm, Jean- Louis Muller called the police saying "My wife has just committed suicide". Two officers arrived at the scene at 9:55. They discovered the lifeless body of Mme Muller, she was lying on her back behind a large table in a "L" shape, her skull partially opened leaving a part of her brain visible. A 357 Magnum was found at her feet . It was quickly classed as a suicide case. On February 21, 2000 le parquet closed the case without further investigation.

But the family of Mme Muller refused to believe that she committed suicide. They claimed that the wife of Dr. Muller was not suicidal and that she had just met a man she was in love with. They also said that she would never have abandoned her role as a good mother. The theories became motives for prosecutors : a jealous husband whose wife was having an adulterous affair. On 19 October 2000, the police opened an investigation for murder.

Dr. Muller was convicted at trial in 2008, and once again two years later on appeal, before the verdict was canceled, and the case was sent before the cour d'assises de Meurthe-et-Moselle.

I kind of understand why prosecutors ruled out suicide, accusing the intelligent doctor for killing his wife and covering it up as suicide. First, the 357 Magnum found at the feet of Mme Brigitte showed no finger prints, not even that of the victim. Second, they found more powder residue on the hands of Dr. Muller, who discovered the body, than those of his wife. Third, the night of the murder, Dr. Muller took a shower before the arrival of the police.

All these showed a crime cleverly disguised by a man described as "intelligent", too "rational" and "paranoid" who could not stand the idea that his wife was with another man.

But the new lawyer of  Dr. Muller, Maître Eric Dupond-Moretti was able to argue out all these theories unlike the others. He said that Mme Muller's right hand was stuck in her pants when her body was found, and that the powder residue could have been partially absorbed by her trousers, while those found on the hands of Dr. Muller could be linked to the aerosol deposits.

The best part of the conclusion speech of the avocat Eric Dupond-Moretti was his last sentence : "Si vous le condamnez, vous aurez jugé. Mais vous n'aurez pas rendu justice."

Only God knows if he is truly innocent or guilty...