In a shocking and somber development, Maxime Tessier, the 34-year-old French lawyer who gained international attention for defending one of the most reviled figures in modern French criminal history, has been found dead. According to chief prosecutor Frédéric Teillet of Rennes, “everything points to suicide.”
Tessier was the defense counsel for Joel Le Scouarnec, a now-74-year-old former surgeon who has been dubbed “the devil in a white coat”. Le Scouarnec was accused of committing a staggering series of unspeakable crimes: the sexual abuse and rape of hundreds of child patients, predominantly under the age of 15, between 1989 and 2014.
Investigators revealed the extent of Le Scouarnec’s crimes through diaries, testimonies, and medical records, painting a horrifying portrait of systematic abuse carried out in hospitals across France. The list of his known or suspected victims is currently composed of 158 males and 141 females, with an average age of just 11 years old at the time of the alleged assaults. The revelations stunned the nation and prompted a massive overhaul of patient safety procedures in French hospitals.
Maxime Tessier, a young but experienced attorney, took on the Herculean and deeply controversial task of representing Le Scouarnec in court. His defense of such an infamous client was widely criticized and emotionally charged, and Tessier became a lightning rod for public outrage throughout the trial. Despite the heavy burden of defending someone many called “the worst mass paedophile who has ever lived,” Tessier insisted on the principle that everyone, no matter their crime, is entitled to a fair trial under the law.
Now, the legal community and the broader French public are reeling once again—this time from the sudden death of a man who, despite the controversy surrounding his client, had a career ahead of him and a reputation for legal precision and dedication.
In his statement to the press, Prosecutor Teillet said:
“The body of Mr. Tessier was discovered under circumstances that suggest no third-party involvement. Everything points to suicide. An autopsy and toxicology reports are underway to confirm the cause of death.”
The motivations behind Tessier’s death remain unclear, though the psychological toll of representing someone accused of such unimaginable acts may have weighed heavily. The public pressure, threats, and emotional strain connected to defending Le Scouarnec may have created an unbearable personal burden. Colleagues describe Tessier as intensely private but brilliant—someone who was committed to upholding the rule of law, even in the most impossible of circumstances.
In the wake of his passing, questions are now being raised about the mental health toll on legal professionals who take on extreme or deeply traumatic cases. In a system that demands the upholding of justice—even for those society considers monsters—lawyers like Tessier often find themselves carrying the unspoken weight of public scorn, isolation, and psychological distress.
This is a tragedy on multiple levels: for Tessier’s family, who must now mourn an unimaginable loss; for the legal community, which has lost a young advocate with a promising future; and for the broader society, which is once again reminded of the far-reaching human cost of cases involving crimes of profound evil.
As the investigation into Maxime Tessier’s death continues, thoughts turn to his loved ones, and to the many victims of Joel Le Scouarnec whose trauma is still being processed. Both the survivors and those entangled in the legal battle over these crimes carry scars that may never fully heal.
Rest in peace, Maxime Tessier. May your struggle not be in vain, and may justice continue to be pursued with compassion, courage, and care for those who bear its burdens.