Christine Papin and Léa Papin were convicted of murdering their employer’s wife and daughter in Le Mans, France on February 2, 1933. The case had a significant influence on French intellectuals Jean Genet, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Jacques Lacan. Some considered it symbolic of class struggle.
About Christine and Léa Papin in brief
Christine Papin and Léa Papin were convicted of murdering their employer’s wife and daughter in Le Mans, France on February 2, 1933. The murder had a significant influence on French intellectuals Jean Genet, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Jacques Lacan, who sought to analyze it. Some considered it symbolic of class struggle. The case formed the basis of a number of publications, plays, and films, as well as essays, spoken word, songs, and artwork. The Papin sisters came from a troubled family. While Clémence was dating Gustave, it was rumored that she was having an affair with her employer. Gustave began to drink heavily. Emilia decided to enter a convent, effectively ending her relations with her family. The sisters worked as maids in various Le Mans homes. They preferred to work together whenever possible. Christine was described as a hard worker and a good cook who could be insubordinate at times. LÉa was quiet and introverted but obedient, and was considered less intelligent than Christine.
Christine gouged Genevieve Lancelin’s eyes out as ordered by Christine. Madame Lancelin became irate and attacked the sisters on the first-floor landing. Some time later, Monsieur Lancelin returned home to find the dinner party had left for the house and the door was bolted from the front. The two men found this suspicious and went to a local police station, where they discovered the entire house was still in dark except for a light in the sisters’ room. The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without parole. They were released from prison on December 31, 1998. The trial was held in front of a jury of six men and six women. The jury found the sisters guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years. The verdict was later reduced to 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 15 years and a fine of $1,000.
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