an appeal was about to be heard by the Conseil d'État (French supreme public court) which might have overturned the sentence. Nonetheless, Bastien-Thiry, having refused a blindfold and clutching a rosary, was executed by firing squad at Fort d'Ivry on 11 March 1963. He was 35 years old. That very evening, President de Gaulle offered a dinner party to the presidents of the special courts, including the one who sent Bastien-Thiry to his death. About Bastien-Thiry, de Gaulle said "The French need martyrs ... They must choose them carefully. I could have given them one of those idiotic generals playing ball in Tulle prison. I gave them Bastien-Thiry. They'll be able to make a martyr of him. He deserves it." See also Capital punishment in France References Sources French aerospace engineers École Polytechnique alumni Supaéro alumni Corps de l'armement 1927 births 1963 deaths 1962 crimes in France People from Lunéville Failed assassins Executed French people People executed by the French Fifth Republic People executed for attempted murder People executed by France by firing squad Executed people from Lorraine