In France, a magistrate investigating the death by shooting of a young man in a police station in Lyons, in South-east France, has begun a murder investigation against the officer who fired the shot. The death of Fabrice Fernandez, aged 24 and a father of three, led to rioting on the housing estate where he lived, with more than 20 cars and trucks set on fire and policemen and fire-fighters attacked. From Paris Stephen Jessel reports:

Fabrice Fernandez was handcuffed when a 40-year-old police officer picked up the shotgun which Fernandez had been carrying when he was arrested, pointed it at him, fired and blew much of his face away. The death of the young man was followed by rioting on the housing estate where he lived, and the officer was at once suspended from duty and detained.

He claimed he had no idea the gun was loaded and the judicial authorities, accepting that claim, appointed a magistrate to investigate a possible case of manslaughter. But he has decided that the case may be one of murder, carrying a possible prison sentence of 30 years, and has notified the police officer accordingly.

The officer has a record of misbehaviour and indiscipline and was suspended twice, for a total of 18 months, for two breaches of professional conduct. Incidents in France in which police officers, on or off duty, are responsible for the deaths of young men - often from poor neighbourhoods and of immigrant origin - while not frequent, are not rare either.

Critics of the police say they are often protected by their own hierarchy or by local politicians, and that those responsible often escape punishment. The decison to bring proceedings which could lead to a charge of murder is unusual.