Jean Imbert, accused of violence, receives assisted-witness status, not a formal suspect

Jean Imbert, a chef accused of violence by former partners, was placed under assisted-witness status after 36 hours in police custody, avoiding formal investigation. The status lies between witness and formal suspect, requiring evidence making participation plausible. Assisted witnesses cannot be held in pretrial detention, placed under surveillance, house arrest, or judicial supervision, but must declare their address and report changes. Created in the early 2000s to strengthen presumption of innocence, it aimed to reduce investigations ending in dismissal. However, judges may later upgrade the status to formal suspect if evidence becomes serious or consistent.