EPADominique Pelicot, 72, who drugged and sexually assaulted his wife Giselle, recruited dozens of men to sexually assault her over a period of 10 years. His lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, said he would not appeal the 20-year prison sentence.
But at Dominique’s request, 17 of the 49 men convicted of raping or sexually assaulting Ms Pellico said they would appeal.
More action may be taken before the appeal filing period closes at midnight on December 30.
Mr Zavarro told French media that Dominique Pelicot, who had pleaded guilty, decided not to appeal because he did not want to impose a “new ordeal” on Mr Pelicot, who was in court for most of the 15-week trial. .
“He felt that this decision was consistent with the position he had always taken at trial, which was that Pelicot was not and never was his enemy,” Zavarro said. example.
He must appear in court as a witness during the appeal trial.
Ms. Pelicot is not required to attend the proceedings, but her lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, told French media: “She will meet those who have appealed. She obviously hoped it would end here, but she is not afraid of that.”
Under French law, a new trial is scheduled to take place over the next 12 months. However, unlike the first trial, the trial will be conducted by a jury consisting of three chief judges and nine citizens.
This may not necessarily lead to a harsher sentence, but the huge repercussions and media coverage of the trial may cause jurors to be less lenient than the judge.
Although they will be scrutinized, “the jury is human just like you and me and may have prejudices,” lawyer Hansu Yalaz told the BBC.
Among the men who appealed was Charly Arbo, now 30 years old. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually assaulting Pellico six times when she was in her early 20s.
Construction worker Simone Mekenes, 43, and nurse Redouan El Farihi, 55, who were sentenced to nine and eight years respectively, also appealed.
Many of the men claimed that Pellico “manipulated” them into raping his wife and was unaware that she had not consented.
“From the beginning, my client said he never intended to rape Gisele Pelicot,” Mekenese lawyer Yannick Prat said, adding that the nine-year prison sentence was “proportionate.”
He acknowledged that facing a popular jury could result in a harsher sentence, but said he would be “absolutely happy” to work with the jury.
Reuters“I would ask them to think from the perspective of all parties in this trial,” he said.
Lawyer Louis-Alain Lemaire said one of his clients, who was sentenced to eight years in prison, had appealed the conviction, saying there was “no criminal intent”.
But other defense attorneys believe an appeal is a risky gamble.
On the day the verdict was handed down, lawyer Patrick Gontard told the BBC that appeals are usually filed to get a few years off prison, but all the men, including his client, had already received lesser sentences. the prosecutor asked.
Dominique Pellico, once called “one of the worst sex offenders of the last 20 years” by his daughter Caroline, drugged and raped his wife Giselle and incited others to commit rape for at least a decade.
He filmed many rapes, allowing investigators to track down dozens of men. Ultimately, 50 people were arrested, but about 20 have not been identified and are believed to be still in custody.
The court found 47 men guilty of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault.
Six men were able to be released after court, because in most cases they had already spent time in pre-trial detention.
The trial, which lasted from September to December, received worldwide attention thanks to Giselle Pellico’s decision to give up her anonymity and open the trial to the public and media.
She said she did it to help other rape victims. “I want them to tell me that if Mrs. Pellico could do it, I can do it too.”
“Victims of rape often feel shame, but it’s not our responsibility to feel shame. It’s their responsibility,” she said.
