Dismay as court lowers payout over Franco-British man shot dead by hunter
‘Hunters have been given a blank cheque to kill with impunity’, says lawyer for the man’s brother
Morgan Keane was shot dead on his land near his home while chopping wood in 2020
Un jour un chasseur
The family of a Franco-British man who was shot dead in his garden by a hunter in December 2020, have seen their demand for €1.4m in damages rejected by a French court on August 9. They were awarded €69,210 - 5% of the sum requested.
British-born Morgan Keane, 25, was shot by hunter Julien Féral while chopping wood in Lot in December 2020.
Féral, who was reportedly an inexperienced hunter and incorrectly positioned by his hunt leader, claimed that he had simply failed to clearly identify his target.
At his sentencing in January 2023, he apologised to the court for killing Mr Keane.
Féral was given a two-year suspended sentence - along with a lifetime hunting ban - in a ruling that Mr Keane’s friend Mila Sanchez called “a bad joke”.
The organiser of the hunt was similarly given an 18-month suspended sentence and a five year hunting ban.
Mr Keane’s friends went on to create the group Un jour un chasseur, which lobbies for more awareness of the dangers of hunting.
Read more: Franco-British man shot by hunter: anger over ‘lenient’ sentence
Family file a civil case
Mr Keane’s brother Rowan Keane subsequently brought a civil case against both Féral and the president of the hunting association, seeking damages, compensation and, according to lawyer Me Benoit Coussy, “to make hunters more responsible by hitting them in the wallet.”
The claim of €1.4m corresponds to the upper limit of what the hunter’s insurer would pay.
The first hearing took place on June 12, 2024.
Read more: Franco-British man shot dead by hunters: €1.4m compensation claim
€1.4m damages rejected
The Cahors judicial court issued its ruling on August 9 (postponed from August 5). The court rejected the claims for €1.4m in damages, instead awarding €69,210 to Rowan Keane.
“This decision is in line with the usual case law," Rowan Keane's lawyer, Benoit Coussy, told France 3 after the ruling.
“But from a moral point of view, it appears lacking in the sense that Morgan's life is ultimately worth only €69,210.
"The fact that there is no prison sentence and no significant fine means that hunters have been given a blank cheque to kill with impunity.
“This decision does not act as a deterrent, whereas the application of the guarantee ceilings that had been requested would certainly have had an educational effect, with consequences for French hunters in particular, who would have seen their insurance policies increase significantly."
Me Coussy added that "the legal battle is not over".
Rowan Keane is reported to be considering an appeal against the decision, "perhaps even take this to the Court of Cassation to change the law, which is clearly out of date," said Me Coussy.
