Rapport Définitif De La « Commission De Réforme De La Cour D'assises

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Rapport Définitif De La « Commission De Réforme De La Cour D'assises Rapport définitif de la « Commission de réforme de la Cour d’assises » remis à madame la Ministre de la Justice le 23 décembre 2005 Table des matières Préambule général ...................................................................................4 I. Opportunité du maintien de la cour d’assises ? .....................................7 I. Arguments en faveur du maintien et de la suppression de la Cour d’assises ........ 8 A. Arguments en faveur du maintien de la Cour d’assises.................................. 8 B. Arguments en faveur de la suppression de la Cour d’assises.......................... 9 II. Constatations de la Commission...................................................................... 13 III. Réformes proposées....................................................................................... 14 A. Proposition de suppression de la Cour d’assises actuelle et remplacement par une alternative innovatrice sous la forme d’un « échevinage ». ........................ 14 1. Rapport entre juges professionnels et citoyens.......................................... 14 2. Qualification des citoyens ........................................................................ 15 3. Soutien par un rapport d’expertise............................................................ 15 4. Allègement du caractère oral.................................................................... 15 5. Motivation ............................................................................................... 16 6. Recours.................................................................................................... 16 7. Compétence ............................................................................................. 17 8. Dénomination .......................................................................................... 17 B. Modernisation de la Cour d’assises ............................................................. 17 1. Cadre spécifique ...................................................................................... 17 2. Délibéré mixte ......................................................................................... 18 3. Motivation ............................................................................................... 18 4. Voie de recours........................................................................................ 19 5. Allègement de la procédure...................................................................... 19 6. Objectivation de la compétence................................................................ 20 7. Statut des jurés......................................................................................... 20 C. L’amélioration du statut de la victime.......................................................... 21 II. Développement de la seconde proposition : modernisation de la Cour d’assises.................................................................................................23 LIGNES DE FORCE DES REFORMES PROPOSEES....................................... 24 1. Amélioration de l’efficacité et de l’utilité de la procédure d’assises.......... 24 2. Amélioration de la qualité des verdicts de la cour d’assises ...................... 25 3. Amélioration des droits de la défense....................................................... 25 4. Amélioration du statut de la partie civile et de la victime.......................... 25 I. CADRE SPECIFIQUE..................................................................................... 27 A. Situation actuelle ........................................................................................ 27 B. Propositions de réforme............................................................................... 27 1. Le Président ............................................................................................. 28 a) Cadre permanent .................................................................................. 28 i. Avantages ..................................................................................... 28 1 ii. Taille............................................................................................ 29 iii. Coût............................................................................................ 29 iv. Ressort ........................................................................................ 29 v. Affectation temporaire à différentes cours d’assises...................... 29 b) Mandat ................................................................................................ 30 c) Nomination.......................................................................................... 30 i. Candidatures ................................................................................. 30 ii. Nomination par le Roi (ministre de la Justice) sur présentation du Conseil supérieur de la justice .......................................................... 30 iii. Conditions de nomination............................................................ 31 d) Rémunération ...................................................................................... 31 2. Les assesseurs.......................................................................................... 32 3. Le Ministère public.................................................................................. 33 4. Le greffe .................................................................................................. 33 II. COMPOSITION DU JURY............................................................................ 35 A. Situation actuelle ........................................................................................ 35 B. Propositions de la Commission.................................................................... 38 1. Le nombre de jurés................................................................................... 38 2. Les conditions légales pour être juré ........................................................ 39 a) L’extension de la fourchette d’âge........................................................ 39 b) L’omission des listes des condamnés à une peine grave ....................... 40 c) La dispense d’office des personnes manifestement incapables de siéger dans un jury ............................................................................................. 41 3. Indemnisation .......................................................................................... 42 4. La réforme du système des listes et de la composition du jury.................. 43 5. La suppression de la faculté de récusation sans motif ............................... 45 6. La suppression de la différence entre jurés effectifs et jurés de complément .................................................................................................................... 46 7. La représentativité du jury et la parité sexuelle......................................... 47 a) La représentativité sociologique du jury............................................... 47 b) La parité sexuelle et les moyens de l’assurer ........................................ 48 III. LE DELIBERE CONJOINT.......................................................................... 51 A. Situation actuelle ........................................................................................ 51 B. Propositions de réforme............................................................................... 52 1. Le principe du délibéré conjoint et ses avantages ..................................... 52 2. Les modalités concrètes des délibérations ................................................ 54 a) Prépondérance du jury populaire .......................................................... 55 b) Règles de vote et de majorité ............................................................... 55 c) Maintien du double délibéré................................................................. 56 d) Les implications de l’introduction d’un délibéré conjoint ..................... 57 i. Suppression de l'article 352 du Code d'Instruction criminelle......... 57 ii. Suppression de la personne du chef de jury .................................. 57 IV. MOTIVATION ............................................................................................. 59 A. Situation actuelle ........................................................................................ 59 B. Proposition.................................................................................................. 60 1. Nécessité d'introduire une obligation de motivation quant à la question de la culpabilité.................................................................................................... 60 2 2. Modalités de la motivation....................................................................... 61 a) Portée de la motivation......................................................................... 61 b) Moment où intervient la motivation ..................................................... 62 c) Rédaction de la motivation................................................................... 62 d) Approbation des jurés .......................................................................... 63 e) Notion d'intime conviction ................................................................... 64 V. RECOURS ..................................................................................................... 66 A. Situation actuelle .......................................................................................
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