French prosecutors seek 20 years in prison for Dominique Pelicot, who gang-raped her husband

With Marc Leras for Reuters

Gisele Pelicot walks during an intervention at the Avignon courthouse as she attends the trial of her former partner, Dominique Pelicot, who is accused of drugging her for nearly a decade and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan, a small town in the south of France. In Avignon on September 17, 2024. A court in the southern town of Avignon is trying 71-year-old retiree Dominique Pelicot. for repeatedly raping him over the course of a decade and enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his heavily drugged wife in her own bed. Fifty other men, aged between 26 and 74, are also on trial for their alleged involvement in a case that has horrified France. The hearings, which will last until December, will be open to the public at the request of Dominique Pelicot's ex-wife and her victim. (Photo: Christophe SIMON / AFP)

Gisele Pelicot, 71, could have requested that the hearing be held behind closed doors, but she asked for it to be held in public instead.
Photograph: CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP

French prosecutors asked for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for Dominique Pelicot. organized the repeated gang rape of his then-wife By drugging her unconscious and inviting dozens of strangers to harass her at her family’s home.

Pelicot, 71, pleaded guilty to the charges in a case that attracted worldwide attention and became an examination of the prevalence of sexual violence in France and beyond. Fifty other men are also charged with participating in sexual acts.

In the next two days, prosecutors will announce what kind of punishment they want for the defendant.

The co-defendant denied the multiple men’s claims that they did not realize they were raping Gisele Pelicot or did not intend to do so.

Gisele Pelicot appeared motionless while being abused by the defendant in thousands of videos and photographs recorded by her husband in recent weeks and shown in court.

“The defendants are trying to avoid responsibility by saying they thought Gisele Pelicot consented,” prosecutor Laure Chabaud told the court Monday. he said.

“But it is not possible to think about this today, in 2024,” Chabaud said, adding that the video and photos clearly show that Gisele Pelicot was unconscious and therefore unable to give her consent.

As for Dominique Pelicot, who admitted raping his wife and arranging for her to be raped by others, he said “the maximum sentence is 20 years, which is too much… but at the same time… too little, considering the severity of the committed and repeated acts.” Chabaud.

Prosecutors also said they were seeking a 17-year prison sentence for Jean-Pierre Marechal, 63, who admitted working with Dominique Pelicot to drug his own wife, Cilia, and for both men to rape her. website now closed.

Decisions and sentences are expected to be announced around December 20.

Gisele Pelicot, 71, could have requested the hearing be held behind closed doors, but she asked for it to be held in public instead, saying she hoped it would help other women speak out and show that victims have nothing to be ashamed of.

The trial triggered protest rallies in support of Gisele Pelicot and spurred soul-searching, including a debate over whether France’s rape law should be updated.

Unlike some other European countries, French law does not mention that sex must involve consent, and prosecutors must prove the perpetrator’s intent to rape using “violence, coercion, threats or surprise.”

Dominique Pelicot’s lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro, told reporters it was no surprise that prosecutors were seeking the longest sentence possible.

-Reuters

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