The trial of Vlad Pascu. Judge Popoviciu, boundless cynicism: She asked Roberta’s mother, the young woman killed in the accident, if she was at the funeral

It is the longest day in the trial of Vlad Pascu, the young drug addict who last summer killed two students with his car at the entrance to the 2 Mai resort. At the trial at the Mangalia Court, the survivors of the accident and the relatives of the victims, that is, the civil parties in the file, are heard. At the presidium is the same judge who, at one of the past deadlines, asked if Sebi, the murdered young man, was in the courtroom. And today he continued with the blunders. He asked Roberta’s mother if she attended her daughter’s funeral. And it was not the only inappropriate remark, in the context in which for Sebi’s mother, the testimony of one of the survivors was too difficult to bear and she left the room crying.

By the Observator editorial team on 09.05.2024, 12:55

Judge Ancuța Popoviciu, who has Vlad Pascu’s file on the table, once again showed cynicism in the courtroom, asking Roberta’s mother, the young woman killed in the accident, if she participated in her daughter’s funeral. “I did not see the child after the accident, it came in a sealed box and could not be opened because the body and head were crushed and it could not be dressed. I last saw her alive”, replied Livia Dragomir, the victim’s mother . “We have mental trauma. The child went to the sea and never came back. The last words: bye, mommy, see you on Monday and that Monday never came. How do you think I feel? I was notified by phone. He told me that there was an accident and Roberta is no longer there. We no longer talk in the house, we each stay in our rooms, we no longer go out,” she added.

The hallucinatory dialogue between the judge and Roberta’s mother

Livia Dragomir, Roberta’s mother: We have psychological trauma. The child went to the sea and never came back. The last words: bye, mom, see you on Monday and that Monday never came. How do you think I feel? I was notified by phone. He told me there was an accident and Roberta is gone. We no longer talk at home, we each stay in our rooms, we no longer go out.

Judge Ancuța Popoviciu: Did you attend her funeral?

Roberta’s mother: I did not see the child after the accident, it came in a sealed package and could not be opened because the body and head were crushed and it could not be dressed. I last saw her alive.

Judge Ancuța Popoviciu: What kind of person was Roberta, what perspectives did she have?

Mama Roberteri: She was a sociable person, she had entered college fourth and wanted to become a Geography teacher.

Judge Ancuța Popoviciu: What expenses did you have for the funeral?

Roberta’s mother: The road to Bucharest, the coffin, the grave, cost approximately 30,000 lei.

Judge Ancuța Popoviciu: What was Roberta’s relationship with the family?

Roberta’s mother: She was very close to her grandparents, with her cousin who was in the sea group, they grew up together. She was close to her parents, we went to the mall together.

Judge Ancuța Popoviciu: Are you going to the scene of the accident?

Roberta’s mother: We go often, about 10 times, when we have time, we come here.

A new term in Vlad Pascu’s file

On Thursday, at 10:00 a.m., a new term was held at the Mangalia Court in the case in which Vlad Pascu is being tried for the accident last summer, as a result of which two young people lost their lives. At this term, the parents of the deceased young people are heard, as well as a witness. Also, the Romanian Foundation for the Assistance of Accident Victims could be introduced in this case.

At the previous deadline (April 18), the court postponed the case following a request submitted by the lawyers of the victims’ families. Also, at that time, judge Ioana Ancuța Popoviciu also formulated a request to abstain, which was rejected by the Mangalia Court.

Two weeks ago, the Superior Council of the Magistracy decided that it is not necessary to suspend judge Ioana Ancuța Popoviciu until the completion of the disciplinary procedures, as requested by the Judicial Inspection. The judicial inspectors assessed that the continued exercise of the function by the judge could affect the impartial conduct of the disciplinary procedures and would be likely to seriously damage the prestige of the judiciary.

Also, the lawyers of the families of the victims of the May 2 accident requested a few weeks ago the recusal of judge Ioana Ancuţa Popoviciu, and their request was rejected. At the same time, the prosecutors of the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Mangalia Court requested the Constanţa Court of Appeal to relocate the file, but this request was also rejected.

The first term in Vlad Pascu’s trial took place on February 22, at 9:00 a.m., at the Mangalia Court. The file was postponed until 12:30 p.m. because Pascu also had a deadline at the Constanța Court, in order to avoid preventive detention, but that request was rejected.

When the trial resumed, the judge in the file found that Vlad Pascu had no defense because one of the lawyers withdrew from the file, and the other mentioned that he was protesting, being in solidarity with the action initiated by the Bucharest Bar and requested that the next deadline be granted after 29 February.

The judge ordered the next term to take place on March 14 and issued an address to the Constanța Bar Association, in order to appoint an ex officio defender for Vlad Pascu, for the entire duration of the trial.

The parents of the victims of the accident caused by Vlad Pascu were dissatisfied with the attitude she had in the courtroom. Thus, they told the journalists that when she entered the hall she would have been chewing gum. Later, the judge asked for the bulletin of the young man who died in the road accident that she did not know had died.

The second court term took place on March 14. The father of the young woman killed in the accident caused by Vlad Pascu expressed his displeasure because Vlad Pascu was not brought to that deadline. The father of the young man killed in the accident went to the courtroom with his son’s photo and despite all this, the judge asked him who he was.

At the next court term, on April 4, the Mangalia Court rejected the request to change the legal classification to qualified murder.

The film of the May 2 tragedy

On August 19, 2023, Vlad Pascu drove a car on DN 39, and around 5:25 a.m., near May 2, he entered a group of pedestrians. As a result of the impact, two young people lost their lives and three others were injured.

Vlad Pascu fled the scene of the accident and was later found by the police in Vama Veche. The investigators determined that he was under the influence of several prohibited substances, including cocaine, amphetamine and methamphetamine.

Vlad Pascu was sent to court, in October, for culpable homicide, culpable bodily injury, leaving the scene of the accident and driving a vehicle under the influence of psychoactive substances.