Missing girl case exposes flaws in judicial system, expert says

Article excerpt

An 11-year-old girl named Lyhanna vanished from a schoolyard in the southern French town of Fleurance on May 29, sparking renewed scrutiny of France's judicial system. A 41-year-old father of one of her classmates was arrested after being seen with her the afternoon she disappeared. Legal expert Choralyne Dumesnil, a lawyer admitted to practice in Paris and California, says the case has exposed systemic lapses, describing France as being at a "time of transition" as it grapples with reforming its courts and investigative procedures.