French Court rejects Nicolas Zepeda's legal challenge

The French Court of Cassation has rejected a legal challenge filed by Nicolas Zepeda, who was previously convicted three times for the murder of Narumi Kurosaki.

Zepeda’s defense team had sought a priority question of constitutionality (QPC), arguing that the verdict delivered by the Rhône Assize Court in March 2026 lacked sufficient written reasoning, particularly regarding his life imprisonment sentence. However, the judges ruled that the defense's argument was unfounded and did not warrant submission to the Constitutional Council.

The case involves the disappearance of Narumi Kurosaki, a Japanese student whose body has never been found. While this specific recourse was rejected, a separate appeal in cassation filed by the defense remains pending. Zepeda remains incarcerated at the Orléans-Saran prison center.