The prosecution wants a trial for rape and sexual assault after Charlotte Arnould’s complaint – Libération

2024-08-22 13:33:46

Sexual violencedossier

Six years after the accusation of the actor, while many women have spoken against him since then, prosecutors are asking for a trial before the criminal court against the 75-year-old actor.

He sat on the pedestal for a long time. Today, there is not much in the legend of Gérard Depardieu. Thursday August 22, the Paris prosecutor’s office indicated that it has requested a trial for rape against the 75-year-old actor. On August 14, the public prosecutor asked for his reference to the criminal court of the department for rape and sexual assault on the actress Charlotte Arnould. It is now up to the investigative judge responsible for this case to order or not an investigation.

The lawyer for the 28-year-old actress, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, believes that these questions “It is the result of a long research which makes it possible to bring together elements that confirm the words of my client”, before adding, “For him, it’s a big step forward full of hope while waiting for the order of the investigating judge that will close the investigation.” Charlotte Arnould’s legal journey began in August 2018, when she filed a complaint against Depardieu in Bouches-du-Rhône. He accused her of having raped him twice, on August 7 and 13, in the same year, in his mansion in the sixth district of the capital. He was 22 years old at the time, and has asked to remain anonymous.

Less than a year later, in June 2019, the Paris prosecutor’s office dismissed the complaint, on the grounds that the facts were not sufficient. The actor then filed a new complaint with the law of a civil society in March 2020, which led to a referral to an investigative judge. In July of the same year, the Paris prosecutor’s office requested the opening of a judicial investigation after reviewing the process and, in February 2020, the actor was accused of “rape” etc “sexual assault”.

In spring 2023, a study published by Mediapart presented thirteen other testimonies from women who accused Depardieu of sexual concerns and sexual assault. They describe the events that took place between 2004 and 2022 on a set of eleven films. Comments reported by investigative media then seem to show a “modus operandi” frequent.

Open letter to “Figaro”

The following October 1, Gérard Depardieu published an open letter le Figaro, where he defends himself from the facts with which he was accused and said “too much influence”. Without naming Charlotte Arnould, she completely denied the actress’ accusations, going so far as to accuse her of manipulation: «[Une] the young woman came to my house for the first time, with light steps, going up to my room of her own accord. Now, she says that is where she was raped. There is no coercion, violence or protest among us. […] He wants to sing Barbara’s songs in Cirque d’hiver with me. I told him no. He filed a lawsuit.”

On December 7, in France 2, 1.52 million viewers discovered, in Further research, a Gérard Depardieu in full of passion logorrhea on the pictures of the documentary filmed in North Korea, in the company of Yann Moix. The actress shouts sexist and sexual comments, especially aimed at her interpreter, causing her “cat”, on “Know little”, or emphasis on those “electricity [qu’il a] in the pants.” The program also featured a speech from the septuagenarian, followed by a visit to an equestrian camp. He noted – among other considerations – that “Women love to ride horses” car “Their clit is touching the pommel of the saddle.” The sequence ends with Gérard Depardieu pointing to a ten-year-old boy and exclaiming: “If you ever beg, you beg!”

“You give me hope for the future”

The scandal caused by these comments and pictures is considerable. After the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul-Malak, the judges of Gérard Depardieu are doing “shame on France” and it is no longer necessary for the Army of Honor, Emmanuel Macron is questioned on this topic. The President of the Republic then reaffirmed his enthusiasm for it “A great artist”, “A master of his art” WHO organization “Make France proud”.

After the publication of these questions, Charlotte Arnould responded ontell yourself “Very cool and lively”. “It gives me hope for the future although I am cautious at the moment” the final decision of the investigating judge, he wrote. In April 2023, in a interview given to the magazine Elle, The actress talks about the relationship of trust established early, from childhood, with Gérard Depardieu that she thinks it is “spiritual father” : “I’m waiting to be recognized as a victim and for him to be convicted. But I didn’t expect anything from Depardieu, not even asking for my forgiveness. I would like to have warned of the severity of the legal battle and the treatment of victims which really needs to be developed. But I have decided.”

While awaiting the decision of the investigative judge responsible for this case, Gérard Depardieu sees his next legal deadline approaching. The actor will stand trial in October before the Paris criminal court for sexual assault, after accusations from two women who worked on the film Jean Becker, green locks, in 2021.

Update at 8 pm with additional information.