Lyon, March 20 – Lyon People magazine has been acquitted in a defamation lawsuit filed by Bruno Bernard, President of the Métropole de Lyon, and Grégory Doucet, Mayor of Lyon. The verdict was delivered by the press chamber of the Lyon Judicial Court on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, two months after the trial. The lawsuit concerned the title and content of an article published by Lyon People regarding the deaths of two students in an accident on Avenue Félix Faure.
The Lawsuit and the Contested Article
The two ecologists, Bernard and Doucet, accused Lyon People of defamation over the article’s title: “Fatal accident in Lyon. Doucet and Bernard have two new deaths on their conscience.” The article linked the accident to ongoing, lengthy construction work on Avenue Félix Faure, which has been paralyzed for over two years to install a bus lane.
Jean-Pierre Stouls, counsel for Lyon People, received a copy of the judgment. The most significant excerpt from the ruling, concerning the article’s title, stated: “In this case, three elements can be considered defamatory. The title first, it being recalled that it can contain in itself the allegation or imputation of a fact: ‘Fatal accident in Lyon. Doucet and Bernard have two new deaths on their conscience.’ To be defamatory, an allegation or imputation must be presented in the form of a precise articulation of facts capable of being, without difficulty, the subject of proof or contradictory debate. (Crim, February 17, 1981, N° 79-92.748). In reality, the civil parties are not accused of a precise and substantiated fact, but a pure value judgment is formulated. The notion of conscience appeals to the inner forum of the civil parties, to their morality, and cannot, by definition, be proven.”
Reactions to the Verdict
The announcement of the verdict was met with relief and joy by the Lyon People team, its partners, and readers. “This judgment is very clear because it considers, in particular, that the title of the article ‘two deaths on their conscience,’ the main fact incriminated by the two elected officials, is a pure value judgment appealing to their morality, and therefore unsusceptible to judicial debate. It also recalls that the two elected officials cannot substitute themselves for justice, seen by the article as complacent towards the Greens, to obtain personal compensation…” analyzed Jean-Pierre Stouls, the lawyer for Lyon People, when interviewed by journalist Sophie Majou.
Several media outlets reported on the acquittal, including Lyon Mag, Tribune de Lyon, Actu Lyon, Tonic Radio, and Lyon Première. Le Progrès also covered the story, interviewing the two elected officials about their intentions to appeal the verdict, with a decision expected next week.
Media Coverage Discrepancy
A notable observation made by Lyon People was the disparity in media coverage. While 20 media outlets had reported (and sometimes applauded) the initial referral of Lyon People to the courts on January 21, only six reported on their acquittal. This discrepancy led Lyon People to comment on what they perceived as “sectarianism” within the profession, particularly noting the silence of Lyon Capitale and the Club de la Presse.
Gratitude and Future Plans
The Lyon People team extended its warm thanks to the Stouls & Associés firm, fellow journalists, partners, advertisers, and all Lyon residents who contributed to their fundraising campaign. As a token of appreciation, contributors will receive a two-year subscription to Lyon People.
This acquittal comes amidst a politically charged atmosphere, particularly following the dissolution of the National Assembly, and has sparked debate among the public regarding freedom of the press and political accountability.
