MESRINE JACQUES: (1936-1979) French criminal. Mesrine was responsible for numerous murders, bank robberies and kidnappings in France, the US, and Canada. Mesrine repeatedly escaped from prison and made international headlines during a final period as a fugitive when his exploits included trying to kidnap the judge who had previously sentenced him. An aptitude for disguise earned him the moniker "The Man of a Thousand Faces" and enabled him to remain at large while receiving massive publicity as a wanted man. A.L.S., two pages, lined paper, 8vo, from the Parisian prison at 42 rue de la Santé, 11th April 1976, to his couple Jeanne Schneider, in French. A good and cleanly written letter from prison to `Nanou´, his couple, referring to multiple matters, and stating `Bonsoir mon ange. Et voilà! Encore un dimanche de passé. Quelle belle journée, mais je l´ai passée à la télé, je ne suis pas content car le seul film de la journée a été retardé. Je n´ai donc pas pu voir la fin car la fermeture est à 19 heures et il restait dix minutes de film. C´est un peu comme si tu entrais au cinéma et que tu partes sans connaitre le déroulement de ce qui a motivé le film... enfin, je n´y peux rien. Pour l´instant je suis aux ordres´ (Translation: "Good evening, my angel. And there you have it! Another Sunday gone. What a beautiful day, but I spent it in front of the TV. I'm not happy because the only film was delayed. So I couldn't see the end because closing time is 7 p.m. and there were ten minutes left. It's a bit like going into a movie theater and leaving without knowing the plot or what led to the film... well, there's nothing I can do about it. For now, I'm just following orders.") Further referring to Jeanne´s father and to his health, saying `Monsieur ton père joue les pauvres petits gars malheureux... il ne manque pas de souffle lui qui a toujours vécu que pour lui-même et qui ne vient jamais te voir. Pour moi c´est un salaud intégral. Actuellement j´ai encore des problèmes avec mon coeur!! eh oui j´en ai un!... je mets mon divorce en marche juste après Pâques...´ (Translation: "Your father is playing the poor unfortunate little boy... he's got some nerve, he's always lived only for himself and never comes to see you. To me, he's a complete bastard. Right now, I'm still having problems with my heart!! Yes, I have one!... I'm starting the divorce proceedings right after Easter....") VG

The present letter was written during his imprisonment at the Parisian prison of La Santé. This prison was seen as an escape-proof prison. During this incarceration he faced security far better than any he had defeated before. On 8th May 1978, he produced a gun, stole keys and, with François Besse (a highly accomplished escaper in his own right), and another man, Mesrine got out of a cellblock and into a fenced-off yard walkway. They had a grappling iron with them and Mesrine forced some workmen with an extending ladder to bring the ladder along. The trio unlocked a yard gate in an inner wall; an armed guard was taken by surprise at his post. The men then reached an isolated part of the 14 metre (46 ft) high exterior wall (which would have presented a considerable challenge without the ladder). They hooked the grappling iron onto the top of the ladder, scaled the wall, and slid down a rope. The third man over the wall was shot dead by police in the street outside. Mesrine and Besse hijacked a car and evaded a police cordon; they had become the first men to escape from La Santé.

On 2nd November 1979, Mesrine, his couple Sylvia Jeanjacquot and her pet were in their gold BMW 520 when they reached Porte de Clignancourt on the outskirts of Paris, when they were boxed in at the entrance to a junction. Police marksmen in the rear of a lorry immediately in front of their car threw open a tarpaulin. Reportedly, in the instant before the gendarmerie opened fire, Mesrine realised he was trapped. Twenty rounds were fired at point-blank range and Mesrine was shot 15 times. A coup de grâce was administered with a pistol. Sylvia Jeanjacquot lost one eye and suffered lasting damage to her arm. Her pet dog was killed. French policereceived congratulations from then President Giscard d´Estaing. But suggestions in media publications suggested that Mesrine may have been shot without warning, considering it an extrajudicial killing. Police commissioner maintained that the police had given Mesrine a chance to surrender. Eyewitnesses and other accounts disputed the statement. Mesrine's defence lawyer continued for 30 years to fight for a judicial investigation into the events surrounding Mesrine's death and to have the French state held accountable for what she saw as the assassination of her client.