Trial of Jean-Baptiste Carrier
Although the most heinous crimes committed by Jean-Baptiste Carrier are his direction of the mass drownings at Nantes, he also was responsible for the executions by firing squads of 1,800 to 2,600 victims at a quarry in Gigant, near Nantes, and collaborated on other criminal and repressive acts that he justified by the Law of Suspects. His extreme paranoia was no more apparent than in the Affair of 132 Nantes Moderates (French: Affaire des 132 modérés nantais), a "tragicomedy of justice" that involved the round-up of more than 132 men from all walks of life vaguely accused of politically moderate 'federalism', who were imprisoned, tried in Paris, and subsequently acquitted of all charges.
Carrier was recalled to Paris in early 1794 to participate in the trial of Robespierre. At first, the Thermidorians left Carrier in peace, but members of the Revolutionary Committee of Nantes soon covered him with insults and accusations. Based on overwhelming evidence, he was arrested in Paris on 3 September 1794 and indicted 27 November. At his trial, he clumsily and sarcastically stated that he knew nothing about what he was accused. However, he was immediately denounced by those closest to him and charged with the drownings, executions, butchering of women and children, thefts, acts of greed, as well as exacerbating the strife that Nantes suffered. A unanimous vote called for Carrier's execution, and he was guillotined on 16 December 1794.
Read more about this topic: Drownings At Nantes
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