Prime Crime: Solved Murders - Jean-Baptiste Nozière Pt. 2

Episode Date: September 22, 2021

By August of 1933, everyone in Paris knew 18-year-old Violette Nozière was a murderer. But the real question wasn't if she killed her father — it was why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this murder case, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes depictions of murder and misogyny, as well as discussions of molestation of a minor, rape, incest, and suicide. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. Before the German army invaded France and laid siege to Paris in World War II, the French people were hungry for scandal, and in August of 1933, they got the perfect dish. Parisian newspapers littered the streets, spinning the tale of the young femme fatale, Violette Noseer.

She was the poisoner of her poor working-class father. These stories called the 18-year-old a harlot and a fiend, as deadly as she was seductive. As the papers told it, Violet had all the most despicable qualities. To aristocrats, she was a con artist trying to rise above her station. To workers, she was a self-loathing class traitor. She was anything and everything that the press needed her to be. But behind the larger-than-life persona, the pseudonyms, and the scandals, few people knew the real Violet nozier.

The truth was more complex than the press led on. After all, nuance doesn't sell. The French public didn't want to swallow the fact that maybe, the murderer of this story was also a victim. Welcome to Solved Murder's True Crime Mysteries, a Spotify original from Parcast. I'm your host Carter Roy. And I'm your host Wendy McKenzie. Every Wednesday we step into the world of true crimes,

most fascinating murder cases, and tell the tale of how real-life detectives close the case. You can find episodes of Solve Murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free. exclusively on Spotify. This is our final episode on the 1933 murder of Jean-Baptiste Nozier, a working-class engine driver in Paris. Last week, we covered the revelation that his daughter, Violet, had poisoned him.

This week, we'll cover Violet's scandalous trial, and the verdict that shook France's legal system. We have all that and more coming up. Stay with us. Own it all. Pay off your home, travel for life, drive up for life, drive up for In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslot Machine by Aristocrat Gaming, Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is giving one person a $1.6 million dream package. The biggest prize in Yamaba's history.

Club Serrano members can earn daily instant prizes and secure a spot in the finale May 29th. Don't pass go and own it all. Only at Yamava, celebrating its 40th anniversary. You win? Details at Yamava.com must be 21-20. Please gamble responsibly. Monopoly is a trademark of Hasbro. Hasbro is not a sponsor of this promotion. On August 23, 1933, 18-year-old Violet Nosier called the police. According to her, she'd come home and found her parents collapsed. First responders rushed her father, Jean-Baptiste, and her mother, Germain, to the nearest hospital. Jean-Baptiste died before he made it to the emergency room, but Germain survived.

When she regained her strength, she told law enforcement that her own daughter had poised. seasoned her and her husband. However, by that time, Violet had disappeared into the streets of Paris. After a hunt that lasted nearly a week, the police brought the young lady into custody on August 28th. It might have been an open and shut case, but then, Violet revealed her motive for murder.

Sometimes my father forgot I was his daughter. He took me intimately many times since I was 12. This admission sent waves through the investigation and hit the headlines with a splash. The public wondered whether Baptiste, who was known as a sober, upstanding man, could be capable of such horrific behavior. Some believe that Baptiste's restraint was all an act, and that beneath it, he had a darker, repressed personality. Still, others, including Germain, ardently denied he would ever sexually abuse his own daughter. Germain Nosier said Violet's allegations were nothing short of slander. Bursting with rage and determined to shut down the rumors, Germain entered the public fray.

On September 14, 1933, she officially declared herself a party civil, a plaintiff in the case against her daughter. From a legal standpoint, this greatly raised the stakes of Violet's case. It meant there was a party actively fighting against her. Moreover, it meant the death penalty was now on the table. So, though the autumn air was cooling the city of Paris, the drama surrounding the Nosiers kept getting hotter. It was a tumultuous moment for their family, but it was a great time to be in the newspaper business.

Germain Nozier aims to prosecute her own daughter. Let me see that. Unbelievable! Why would she do this to her own child? Can you blame her? The girl's a killer. Killer or not, the girl is still her baby. She labored to bring her into this world

and now she's working to take her out. It's ghastly. Don't be absurd. The girl murdered her own father, then took his reputation and tried to destroy him in the public eye. She's beyond redemption. Have you considered she might be telling the truth? Didn't you read the paper?

The girls told so many tall tales it'd be a miracle for anyone to get the story straight. While the press printed sensational details, one man tried to sift through the rumors. Judge Edmond, La Noir, presided over the investigation. His job was to gather evidence and decide whether to drop the case or indict Violette and send her to a criminal trial. Though an investigating judge was meant to be unbiased,

La Noir didn't hide his distaste for Violette. To his credit, though, he was thorough in his search for the truth. Beginning in September of 1933, he conducted dozens of depositions. One of his earliest interviews was with a physician named Dr. Henri Daron. How long have you known in those years? Many years, though the most memorable moment of our relationship was in March of this year. What happened?

I diagnosed Violet with syphilis. It's not the first time I've seen this sort of thing with the way young women could be these days. So I agreed to tell her parents that the disease is sometimes her. hereditary and can skip a generation or two. Is that true? Of course not. I don't think her father believed me anyway. Still, both parents got tested to be safe.

The results came back negative. I wanted to ask you about the note. I'm sure you've heard already. Villette showed her parents a letter that claimed the poison was a prescription. It had your name on it, your signature. Clearly, I'm not the one who wrote that letter. For me to say any more than that would be to partake in unprofessional speculation. Of course, doctor.

Thank you for your time. Dr. Dorent's testimony undermined Violet's version of events. Namely, it brought into question why, if her father had raped her regularly, his syphilis test came back negative. Aside from, or perhaps because of the accusations against her father, Violet's sexual activity was a major point of interest. As such, La Noir brought in several young men who reportedly had had relations with her. One or two of them spoke well of the young woman and even validated her story about her father's abuse. They said that she'd mentioned something about it, though the details were unclear.

They couldn't remember whether she'd said her father raped her or abused her, though words in French are very similar. However, most of the young men were dismissive. They were primarily entitled, fashionable boys that Violet met in the Latin quarter. They clearly thought of her as a tool for their pleasure, and nothing more. They also bolstered the depiction of her as a liar. They claim she was always telling fibs about what her parents did for a living or experiences she'd had in places she'd seen.

But of all these young men, La Noir was most interested in talking with Jean de Bonn. He was the boyfriend that Violet claimed to love the most. She'd even told people they were engaged to be married. On September 4th, almost two weeks after the murder, La Noir finally tracked DeBan down. He was shocked to see a thin young man with slicked hair and round spectacles, not at all the handsome gent he expected. La Noir grilled De Bois, treating their conversation more like an interrogation than an interview. Tell me, Debon, how often did you take money from Violet?

I... excuse me? You often borrowed money from her, though I used the term borrow loosely. It's strange to me that a man is put together as yourself would be so low on cash. Well... Many people are saying that Villette's crime was financially motivated. And if she has a fiancé who needs more and more money from her, she might go as far as to kill her own father. Now, hold on!

What's more? Germain Nozier doesn't think Violet acted alone. She had a mysterious cut on her forehead. A big fellow like you could have knocked her over, don't you think? I wasn't in Paris at the time of the murder. I was on holiday. Check my documents. You'll see.

Maybe. But you still could have put her up to it. Look, she and I were engaged, and I fully intended to pay her back for every Frank she lent me. Had I known she was a working girl, I would have never have given her the time of day. Wait. What? Well, you have to assume, right?

The kind of girl she is, and she always had money. La Noir's meeting with De Bonn left him stunned. He would never have suspected that the man Violet loved would speak so cruelly about her. Not only that, but De Bonn claimed that Violet engaged in sex work. As La Noir looked into Violet's relationships, he found this notion to be mostly unsubstantiated, while a handful of her intimate rendezvouses were somewhat transactional in nature,

they were far more often exchanging social capital than cash. This put De Bonn in an extremely bad light. He was supposed to be Violet's future husband, but he proved himself to be just like the other men who used her. His friends even reported that he privately told them he did not care for her. Swaths of the public painted him as a villain. Nevertheless, his alibi checked out. He was out of town at the time of the murder.

Therefore, he couldn't have given Germain the wound on her forehead. Most people agreed that Germain most likely hit her head when she collapsed at the scene. This was the first of many potentially thrilling mysteries that fizzled away. Throughout the autumn of 1933, the investigation took many twists and turns, though nothing substantive, came to light. Judge La Noir received many letters from concerned citizens. Some claim to know dark family secrets, such as a rumor that Baptiste was not Violet's biological father. But little came of these claims, the only mystery that remained,

came from Violette herself. In refuting that her crime was financially motivated, she said she didn't need money because she had a benefactor, whom she only knew as Monsien-Immel. According to Violet, Emile was a well-off gentleman in his 50s or 60s with a blue car and a white mustache. She denied that there was anything sexual about their relationship. Rather, he was a kind man who took a liking to her.

He gave her a monthly allowance. Unfortunately for Violet and the ravenous press, Judge La Noir couldn't track down Monsieur Emil, the man clearly intended to remain anonymous. So on December 16, 1933, nearly four months after murdering her father, Violette Nozier went into her final round of questioning with only her lawyers by her side. She had no other advocate. Her friends denied her, her fiancé abandoned her, and her benefactor stayed in the shadows. Miss Nozier, I spent months looking into your case. Over and over I've asked you to tell the truth.

And still, you lie. Your Honor. Quiet. If your father had his way with you as you claimed, why did you suffer this indignity and silence for six years? You say you love your mother. Why not tell her about your suffering? Instead, you poisoned her as well.

Moreover, you're 18. You could have left home and gotten a job. Why stay? Your Honor, please. I'll tell you what I think. You have loose morals. You were ambitious and wanted to live above your station. Yet while you tripes about the city claiming a station far above your own, your modest parents remained at home.

The breath in their lungs a constant threat. If they were ever discovered, your fraud would be exposed, and your foolish game would be over. With them dead, your fantasy could live on. Your Honor, everything you've said is false. My father and mother let me go as I please, and my benefactor, Monsieur Emil, provided me with all the fight. I might need to live as I desired. The reasons you provided for my actions do not describe my true motives. Very well, then.

After that final interview, Judge La Noiré, officially indicted Violette Nozier. She now faced a criminal trial and potentially the death penalty. Up next, Violette takes the stand. Once upon a time I thought I met Mr. Wright. The only problem, he was a huge liar. You were going out of your mind because you couldn't figure it out. I'm Abby Ellen. Join me as I tell the story of one con man who entangled his lovers, friends, coworkers, family, and me in an identity fraud scheme that stretched all the way to the Pentagon.

Season two of Impostors The Commander, a Spotify original from Parcast, premieres Monday, September 13th. Follow and listen exclusively on Spotify. Now, back to the story. On December 16, 1933, 18-year-old Violet Nosier was indicted for the murder of her father and attempted murder of her mother. This meant that France's favorite villainous would be sent to a criminal trial. The press was already prepping for the spectacle. The murderous Villette Nozier is set to go to trial.

Will she speak? Will she dare repeat her odious accusations in front of 12 jurors? Scandal, incest, adultery, What will come to pass? Will the mysterious Monsieur Emil finally make an appearance? We're keeping track of it all. Newspapers did their best to keep up the momentum, but the actual legal process was slow-moving. It wasn't until the end of February 1934 that the official writ of indictment was finalized. Violette's lawyers appealed, and it was another seven months before the trial began.

Throughout 1934, political tensions rose both domestic, and abroad. The shadow of the approaching war loomed over France. When October 10th arrived, and the trial was finally underway, it was a welcome distraction. Masses crowded outside the courthouse. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the mythical Violet Noseaer, seductress Supreme. However, when she emerged and made her way into the courthouse, she didn't quite cut the figure that spectators anticipated. She wore a black fur-collared coat and slanted beret. But she moved with her head down, hunched forward.

Her skin was sallow and blemished after over a year in prison. People commented that she didn't look the part of the stunning femme fatale they'd been promised. They saw an ordinary young woman instead, someone who might be their neighbor. The Olatner lawyers made it into the safety of the courthouse. The room was still packed with journalists, but it was a smaller crowd than the one outside. When Violet took her seat, she faced the presiding judge pair and a panel of 12 men. The judge and jurors were all men around Violet's father's age.

They looked at her with a range of expressions, from paternal disappointment to outright disdain. It was clear that the young woman wouldn't be judged by people who understood her. At the time, French legal procedure began with the presiding judge questioning the accused. This was meant to be an unbiased practice to lay out the facts, but Judge Pair had no interest in hiding his feelings. He tore into Violet like he was out for blood. Miss Noseaer, your deceitful nature makes me think my words will fall on deaf ears, but I will say them nonetheless.

You have spent your whole lifeline to everyone, around you, and today you will face judgment for your many words and actions. I urge you to tell the truth. Do you swear to speak truthfully? I swear. You are a girl of loose morals. There's no doubt about that. You slept with many men? Yes, sir. What were their names? Buckle up, folks, this will take a few days. Why would you take so many lovers? Were you unsatisfied? Yes, unsatisfied? and depressed. And yet you say you were promised to Jean de Bonn. I loved John, and I still love him.

He's the only man who's ever had my heart. The questioning lasted all day. Violet was derided for dropping out of school, for stealing from her parents, and for having multiple lovers. All of the ridicule came to a boiling point when she was made to recount in detail her allegations against her father.

It's so awful. I don't think I can bear to repeat it. Please don't make me speak about that now. Suddenly she has cold feet? Miss Noseyere, you must explain yourself. Tell us everything. It's hard, sir. It's so...

Violet described her father's abuse in vivid detail. She recounted how it began when she was 12 years old. It began while my mother was. was shopping for groceries. At first, he only used his hands, and in my youthful naivete, I did not fully understand what was happening. The situation escalated when I went to wake him one morning, and he forced himself on me. I was shocked and confused, so I did not fight back. I did not fully comprehend the situation at the time, but as I grew up, the horrific nature of his actions began to set in.

I wanted to tell my mother what was happening, but I also felt guilty, as my father told me it was all my fault. Violet detailed six years of molestation and abuse that she suffered at the hands of her father. It was incredibly difficult for her to say it out loud, let alone to a room full of skeptical men. Violet's critics brushed her off,

saying it was all for show. They said she'd always been a lot, and this was just another act. Despite the meticulous and specific details of her story, most observers still didn't take her seriously. With that, the first day of the trial came to a close. The next day the plaintiff would take the stand, Germain Nozier would make the case against her own daughter.

As Germain appeared before the court, she was the picture of mourning. She wore dark clothes and covered her face with a knee-length, black veil. Those in attendance leaned forward in their seats. The tension was palpable. The last time that mother and daughter were in the same room, it ended in a screaming match where Germain told her daughter to commit suicide. But Germain had apparently switched tactics. Whether it was counsel from her lawyers or a truthful change of heart, she no longer vilified her daughter. Instead, she played the part of the pained mother trying to hold her family together.

Now, Madame Nosier, it's rather unusual for a mother to file suit against her own daughter. What convinced you to come here today? I wish to preserve my husband's shining reputation and find out if any third party took a part in his death. I no longer bear any ill will towards my daughter and have no desire to see her condemned. Order, please. Madame Noseer, it speaks to your virtue that you have been able to forgive your daughter. Pardon me, Your Honor. I have a question for Madame Noseer. Very well.

You say you entered the case to defend your husband's memory, but Violette has painted a very vivid picture of what your husband did to her. She even pinpointed a certain rag that he would use, which the police found precisely where she described. How would she know about that, if not from first-hand experience? As I've said before, my husband used that cloth when he and I were intimate together. Perhaps Violet's spite on us in the act, I don't know. I'm just trying to understand. This rag... That's enough, counselor. Well, you might not understand everyone else does. If not, the jury can speak now or forever hold their peace.

During her testimony, Germain repeated that she wanted the jury to take pity on her daughter. However, the information she provided only made Violet look more guilty. Before Jemann was released, Judge Pair asked Violet if she would like to ask her mother anything. Overcome with tears, Violet burst from her seat and cried out. I love you, Violet. You've committed grave sins against your father, but you are still my flesh and blood. Your man was escorted from the courtroom, making a grand show of weeping and wailing. Next, several young men who claimed to have been intimate with Violet gave their testimonies.

They detailed their relationships with her, bringing yet another parade of humiliation for the young woman. Only one man, Pierre Camus, said anything in Violet's defense. He maintained that she'd told him about her father's sexual abuse. But while Camus was a respectable young man, his voice alone did little to sway the jury. Perhaps hardest to hear was the testimony of Jean de Bonn. Just like in his deposition, he spoke dismissively of Violet in the case overall. Monsieur de Bonn, will you please detail for us your relationship with the accused? I've already spoken with you at length about it. I don't know what else to say.

Please restate it for the jury, Monsieur de Bonn. I met Vialed a few months back. We went around together. I suppose I loved her, but that was before I learned what kind of person she was. She regularly gave you certain sums of money. Did she not? If you say so... Sean.

Is that all? Is that all? You leach off this pitiful girl for years. Have your deceit? disgusting behavior exposed before the public, and that's all you have to say. You may not be on trial today, sir, but you should recognize that in the court of public opinion, you have revealed yourself to be absolutely contemptible. So, am I dismissed?

De Bonn was escorted from the courtroom, looking irritated and detached. With that, the second day came to a close. Friendless and alone, Violet faced the final day of her trial. On October 12th, 1934, after closing statements, the jury departed. After deliberating for less than an hour, they returned with their verdict. We find Violet Nozier guilty on all charges. Very well. Miss Nozier, you are condemned to die.

Miss Nozier, did you hear me? Yes. Right. Court is adjourned. Villette, you need to sign this. We can appeal the verdict, but we have to turn the paperwork in soon. How dare you ask me to sign anything? I bear my deepest pains before the world and get sentenced to die.

Damn you pitiless people! Damn my father! And damn my... Violet was forced from the courtroom by guards and taken to prison. The only thing left for her to do was die. Up next, a glimmer of hope lights up Violet's tragedy. And now, back to our story. Beginning on October 10, 1934, 19-year-old Violet Nozier was put through a humiliating trial.

While she recounted the details of her abuse, onlookers openly mocked her. On October 12th, a judge sentenced her to death for the murder of her father. To those who followed the story, the conclusion was no shock. The cards were stacked against Violet from the beginning. Still, Parisians flocked to newsstands when the announcement was made. Court reaches verdict. Girl doomed to die on Paris guillotine! You don't think they'll really kill her, do you?

Doubtful. Women don't actually get put to death. I'm not so sure. The way I hear people talk about her, they might make an exception. That is, I think they might really go through with it. Hmm, it would be the first time in a long time. But if anyone deserves to have their head lopped off, it's that nosier girl. Appeals began within days, but it wasn't just Violet's lawyers who fought to have her sentence reduced. Germain Nosier wrote several letters begging for her daughter's life.

Even the prosecution spoke on her behalf. They argued that although they had pushed for the harshest, punishment. They didn't really want Violet to die. They just wanted to make an example of her. The jury even sent letters to the Ministry of Justice. While all of these men seemed perfectly content to punish and shame Violet, none of them wanted her blood on their hands. The execution of a woman in France was rare in this period, and no one wanted to go in the history books as the responsible party. Like so many aspects of legal proceedings, the appeals took time. While arguments were made and paperwork was filed,

Violette sat in prison for months, disconnected from the outside world. Winter was setting in, the stone floor and iron bars of her cell provided no warmth. The public sneered at her. Her fiancé had shown his true, unloving colors. Her anonymous benefactor refused to come forward. For Violet, the world had turned cold. All she could do was sit and wait. Shivering in her cell, the story replayed in her mind.

Over and over, she asked how she had gotten to this point. She had been so careful. She had planned for months. But maybe she wondered, she always knew it would end like this. In March of 1933, five months before Baptiste's murder, Violet had done a test run. According to historian and author Sarah Maza, Violet was in a state of despair

and had been considering killing her parents and herself. She purchased barbiturates from a local pharmacy. After mixing the powder into water, she told her parents it was medicine from Dr. Duron. Germain and Baptiste both felt somewhat ill afterwards, but the dosage wasn't high enough to cause any real damage. Violette didn't know if she wanted to go through with the crime, but she was glad her parents believed it was medication.

If she ever wanted to kill them in the future, she felt certain that she could. A few months later, in the warm days of early summer, Violette met Jean de Bonn. She fell truly, madly in love for the first time in her life. She wanted to give all of herself to him, and so she confronted her father. I told him I wanted to be.

wanted to stop doing what we were doing. I was in love with Jean. He didn't take it well. He told me that I would always be his. That's when it dawned on me. There was only one way out of his clutches. On the afternoon of August 20th, 1933, Vialette went back to the pharmacy.

She purchased a higher dosage of barbiturates, commonly used as sleeping pills. The next day, August 21st, she forged a note from Dr. Duran. That night would be the night she would say, No more. Perhaps by pure coincidence, when Violet returned home that afternoon,

both her parents confronted her. They'd found a love letter from De Bonn and demanded to know more. Germain was furious that her daughter was seeing a boy behind their backs. According to Violet, Baptiste feigned ignorance and took the opportunity to reassert. control. What are these letters? Who is Jean Dabin?

Where did you get those? Never mind where we got them. What matters is where you're going. You're no longer welcome here with us. You're forcing me to move out? We can no longer tolerate your lies. We're sorry that it hurts to hear it, but it is the truth. Wait, no.

Jean is a man who has taken great interest in me. He pursues me and insists on seeing me. He's a lawyer in training. His father is a station master. Really? A man of that status is interested in you? Maybe we should meet him, Baptiste, and see what kind of man he is. This could be a good arrangement for Violet. Perhaps, but we have to tell his family about Violet's illness.

We must be honest and up front. But, father! It's the honorable thing to do. Violet knew what her father was doing. He may have called it honor. but really she felt like he was sabotaging her plans. No family wanted a syphilitic daughter-in-law. If she had any hesitations about going through with her plot,

they were likely dashed at that moment. Later that evening, after tempers had cooled, Violet showed her parents the forge note. She prepared the powder and water just as she had done before. Her father's vial contained a lethal dosage, her mother's half as much, For her own, she mixed in only harmless salts. I can't believe the taste.

Try it, Mama. I can't be alone in my suffering. I don't know. What? Dr. Daron gave me this medicine for all of us. Look at the note. Don't you trust me? Well, what?

Do you think I would poison you? Do you think your own daughter would poison you? No, I think you've still got some dignity. left. I suppose it's all right. What's wrong? Oh, I feel... Violet watched her parents collapse. When she was satisfied that they were out cold, she went into their bedroom. She lay on their bed for two hours, staring at the ceiling. It was the same bed where she said her father had touched her for the first time. But after that night, he would never touch her again. A few months after her trial, all the

appeals paid off. On December 18, 1934, France's Ministry of Justice reduced Violet's sentence from death to life in prison. The president of France agreed and issued a pardon. However, word of her changed fate didn't make it to Violet until December 24th, Christmas Eve. She was then shipped off to the Maison Central of Agonon, the largest women's prison in the country. The bar slid closed and Violette Nozier was left to spend the rest of her life locked away. And though she was imprisoned, she was at least away from the scornful eye of the public and the derisive laughter of men who could never understand what she'd been through. But that wasn't the end of Violette's life or her story.

Only a few years after her infamous case, Germany invaded Poland and then France, and the country was launched into World War II. While soldiers battled on the front lines, Violet's mother kept fighting for her daughter. It's difficult to know exactly why Germen, who played a huge role in prosecuting Violet, went on to be her greatest advocate.

Perhaps, like the jury, she just wanted to make a point and didn't need the follow-through. Or perhaps she really did forgive her daughter and wanted to help. Regardless, Germain's campaigning for Violet's release and a new political climate in France proved to be the perfect combination. On August 26, 1942, Violet's sentence was reduced.

Instead of spending the rest of her life in prison, she would be released after serving 12 years. So, three years later, Violet had done her time. On August 29, 1945, exactly 12 years after she was first brought into police custody, Violet Nozier was released. Giamen made arrangements for the release to happen quietly. Both women wanted to avoid the clamoring of the press

whose interest hadn't waned even after a war. Back in the outside world, Violet went by a pseudonym and lived with family in Paris. She eventually met a man who treated her well, and they were married on November 1, 1946. Together, they had five children. Violet did her best to lead a quiet, simple life. Every now and then, an audacious journalist would discover her,

but on the whole, she managed to put her past behind her. Violet Nozier died of cancer on November 28, 1966, at the age of 51. She was mourned by her children and remembered as an excellent mother. Newspapers ran stories recounting the decades-old scandal, but so much had changed in society by then, and Violette's story was not the salacious tale at once was. As time passed, people's understanding of the case shifted. One such detail revolves around Violet's syphilis diagnosis. During her trial, the fact that her father tested negative for the disease was used as the greatest piece of evidence against her claims of sexual abuse.

However, as medical science developed, the test that had been used to detect syphilis became obsolete. It resulted in false positives, especially for patients who may have had tuberculosis, which Violet did have when she was younger. Therefore, Violet might have never even had syphilis. And as author Sarah Maza points out, the fact that Violet had so many children also suggests she did not suffer from the disease. The diagnosis that had been used to mock and undermine her could have been inaccurate. Violet's story is complex. She went on to live a happy, humble life, but not because she was vindicated.

The mercy she found came because she was pitied, not believed. Still, Violet Nozier's case marked a shift in France's legal and cultural landscape. Times were changing. The country's view of the death panel was. began to shift. And women's liberation was on the horizon. The story of a young woman's suffering would no longer be as black and white as newsprint.

It could contain nuance. The public became increasingly willing to view Violet and all women as fully human. Thanks again for tuning into solved murders. We'll be back next Wednesday with a new episode. For more information on Jean-Baptiste Nozié, amongst the many sources we used, we found Violet Noseer,

a story of murder in 1930s Paris, by Sarah Mazza, extremely helpful to our research. You can find all episodes of Solved Murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. If we live till next time. Solved murders, true crime mysteries

is a Spotify original from Parcast. It is executive produced by Max, Cutler. Sound design by Michael Langsner, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Freddie Beckley. This episode of Solved Murders was written by Joseph Bricker, with writing assistance by Karis Allen and Giles Hofceth. Fact-checking by Claire Cronin and research by Mickey Taylor.

The amazing cast of voice actors includes Joe Hernandez, Cameron Nicod, Ellie Schiff, Rebecca Thomas, and Jen Wong. Solved Murder stars Wendy McKinsey and Carter Roald. Roy.