Defence lawyers plead to judges in French mass rape trial • FRANCE 24 English

A lawyer for the chief defendant in a French mass rape trial on Wednesday urged the court to recall his good side after prosecutors demanded lengthy jail terms for the dozens of suspects. The main defendant, Dominique Pelicot, has admitted enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his then-wife while she was drugged and unconscious.
#France #rape #trial
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[@fay5479]

The website was called "without her consent"...they knew perfectly well what they were getting into !!!

[@minavanderleest9493]

His 'good side'? He HAS no good side. He threw away his entire reputation with his actions.

[@ronturner3598]

Protect himself from a murder charge is more like it. Allowing her to breathe described as a positive behaviour is insane.

[@alisonlaing5626]

The breathing bit was just so...they didn,t "Wake" her I bet etc.........all self serving etc..........

[@kiat5912]

EXACTLY

[@Humanity_Hope_]

Each man is responsible for his actions From the first chat, to the physical encounter, all had time to reconsider All had the opportunity to stop at any time

[@erikt1713]

"An absence of violence" is really nonsense. As this was a case of chemical submission no other violence was necessary to restrain the victim. A tough childhood can explain how someone develops into a criminal but it does not take away his guilt. It is just the only piece of her defense that has any substance at all. The rest, that he "wanted to be caught" is irrelevant, the "love at first sight" is irrelevant and so is his poem.

[@BL-sd2qw]

This should also be applied to psych drugs. I have diagnosed cortico-subcortical brain atrophy from those, and they only gave me those because my parents convinced the psychiatrists that me talking about their abuse was me being "crazy"

[@ak-47intelligence75]

Graping someone without their consent IS VIOLENCE. That's why grape is a crime. Cause it's violent and intended to cause the victim harm. It VIOLATES the victim as she is not allowed to deny the Grapist.

[@LLandS18]

Also, she wasn't asleep. She was unconscious. The reporter in the red needs to understand language matters. And we have to use the proper language. When describing this. She wasn't asleep because using that language makes it seem like oh, you know the passive act of falling asleep. No, she was drugged without her consent to the point of unconsciousness than a bunch of dirty disgusting men came over and thought that her husband's consent was all they needed and raped her. Words matter. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and it was either like just a slip of the tongue or English isn't her first language. But no she wasn't asleep. She was unconscious. There's a difference and that difference matters. Much in the same way these defendants are saying well. You know it wasn't violence because she wasn't physically left with bruises is ridiculous and dangerous language calling this woman and what happened to her as her being asleep instead of unconscious is dangerous and inappropriate language. Because words matter and they have meaning.

[@MarthaLampley]

He didn't want to be caught. He just thought he could continue his actions without consequences. He thought he could get away with it forever. After all, he'd been doing it for over 10 years

[@kawaibakaneko]

Worse, the medecine was killing her, he would have weaped at her funeral before starting drugging their daughter, he took picture of her sleeping in her underwear

[@lawdeedaw0803]

Ugh. That's the most disgusting closing argument I've ever heard of. Also, "without violence"???? How is drugging someone repeatedly, to the extent that she suffered from multiple medical issues and pain, not "violence"???

[@alaakela]

I am sick and tired of blaming every criminal act on "childhood trauma". Millions more ppl experience childhood trauma and don't become criminals or grapists. You are an adult. Over 70. And still blaim childhood trauma? Enough is enough. Hold ppl accountable.

[@ephajanke3242]

Of course, not every traumatized person will repeat their experiences in the same severity. But it´s a proven fact that people repeat their experiences. Most of them are more subtle, less violent, less harmful for others etc. But if you look at enough studies and statistics of different kinds of abuse (including verbal) it´s pretty clear that they are often repeated in various ways. Do I say that to unburden them for the responsibility? No! Does that make them less responsible? No! Because there is help available nowadays to heal. And they choose to not get help and to repeat what happened to them. So, that makes them 100% responsible. But please don´t bring that very wrong and dangerous argument about the missing effects on most victims. Thank you.

[@LisaJohnson-h1f]

The defense needs to shut the hell up. Rape is Rape! If anything, each perpetrator should serve 20 years for Each act of RAPE, and not just 20 years as if it only occurred ONE DAMN TIME!

[@janswimwild]

👏👏👏

[@gbarbecue2399]

Unconscious, not asleep. Asleep brings the assumption one can wake. Unconscious by definition means out for the count with little to no chance of awakening for a certain amount of time. Probably why surgeon's don't nip in and remove your appendix during nap time.

[@lucylocket5262]

Excellent point.

[@misssissivoss]

and excellent example How do I get rid of the picture of tiptoeing surgeons ready to nip my appendix 😂

[@rsstenger5113]

I know that the defense lawyer is trying to do her job, but come on.....🤨 🙄 😠

[@cucublueberry8078]

She's a good person. She said in an interview that she defends the human, not his crimes, because they're not excusable. She was also the only defendant in court that used the word r*pe for her client's actions. And the witnesses all said that she was fair and considerate when they were questioned by her.

[@kelliebourque744]

The right to a defense is the basis of a fair justice system. If you don't have that, no one is safe. It's up to the judge and jury to make sure they make the right decision. The lawyer has to do her job and should be allowed to do so. No one has to agree with the defense she uses, even her. This man obviously deserves the maximum sentence. If he doesn't get it it's a failure, but not of the defense lawyer.

[@BondiBronteTama1]

No violence? What about that Gisele Pelicot stated that on waking she had felt pain like she had given birth and attended gynaecology appointments to try to figure out why she was experiencing this.

[@lucylocket5262]

He told the other men to "go slow" so that she could breathe to make sure that she didn't die. He didn't want to get caught and he didn't want to be accused of murder. He had no consideration for her well-being whatsoever. You cannot force a man to rape anybody. He participated in a gang rape, he wasn't forced to do it. He didn't force the two men to rape his wife because it's impossible to do it. All it proves is that he is a predator and a repeat offender, who is still dangerous even though he is elderly. He should be locked away for the rest of his life.

[@BL-sd2qw]

SA is NEVER about lovemaking or love. The whole point is to harm the victim; that's why it's *violence*.

[@matildamatilda1836w]

Thank you for reporting about this!

[@JosannaMonik]

I understand that this lawyer's role was to protect the husband, but to say that he was protecting his wife was utter nonsense. He just didn't want her to die as he would have been responsible for her death.

[@kiat5912]

Not to mention the influx of income.

[@immoosiesmom]

She was not asleep she was unconscious. Use the proper terminology. Asleep means you can wake up.

[@andellensweeney2488]

No excuses for any one of these men

[@PPPPSSSSCCCC]

Violence occurs when a person resists.. She was unconcious, how was she supposed to to resist?? She wasnt even aware for years.. If a person thinks even for a second of her psychi, the fact that her husband used her as a sex object for other people's pleasure is the most violent of all crimes ever...

[@tmoleary7179]

"this whole affair"....please stop calling it "the affair". Its a crime not and affair.

[@JaneSmith-x9b]

I was horrified listening to this news item. Dominique Pelicot was raped as a child? Then he should realise how awful rape is, and not use it as an excuse for his own appalling behaviour. There was no violence involved? Giselle Pelicot was repeatedly raped. That's violence. Mr Pelicot wants his family to remember him as the good man they thought he was before all this came to light? But he raped his wife over decades, so how can anyone think fondly of the man he was then? So many other points too. I understand the lawyer wanted to put forward some sort of defence, but all she did was make lame excuses. Shame on her. I hope that Mr Pelicot gets the maximum sentence, along with all the other defendants.

[@LightningFlash178]

A stupid F poem is not going to take away her memory issues she had for decades, it’s not going to take away the body issues she was having for decades. It’s not going to take away any of the trauma she experienced after finding out what was actually happening. Gisele may have to be in therapy for years to combat this trauma. It’s not going to stop any of the side effects that come with drugs that were forced into her system. Also this WAS violent, drugging someone to render them unconscious is violent. There are side effects that may not ever go away that will affect her mind & ability to process information that is essential to live & experience life. All eroded because Dominique FORCED drugs into her body without her knowledge. That is violent. Drugging someone is a violent act, as it chips away at their mind & body just the same as it would have been if it was a physical attack.

[@pamelamays4186]

Those defense attorneys should be ashamed of themselves.

[@Red-he4yk]

They’re just doing their job. If they don’t present a credible defence…which is almost impossible here.. then his conviction could be overturned due to the ‘right to a fair trial’. It’s just as important that the defence lawyers do their best as it is the prosecution. I believe, I might be mistaken, that his lawyer is state appointed which means they don’t get to choose who they represent either unless there is a direct conflict of interest or a compelling reason that they can’t represent them competently. They are required by law to represent them to the best of their ability. She actually said that she recognised she was representing the un-defendable so she has had to pull out everything and anything to try to mitigate DPs actions. The lawyer doesn’t deserve hate. I’m sure she’s finding it difficult to do this as is.

[@joanckeclectic]

In all fairness everyone is entitled to a defense....of course the defense arguments are useless but still, legally entitled to a defense. Note, this defense atty knew better than to attack the victim like usual in rape cases. Some small piece of appropriate behavior

[@takahiro5528]

That is why they are called defence lawyers. It's part of their job that they take an oath.

[@MrsLangue]

The bashing of defense lawyers in social media always annoys me. The justice system does not work without them doing their best to defend people, even if the committed crimes are serious.

[@JaNouWatIkVind]

By saying that the defence lawyers should be ashamed, you are making yourself the judge, assuming there is nothing left to say ir hear in this trial. Although I doubt a judge would shame a lawyer for defending someone.

[@Maybe-cg2tn]

There is nothing but nothing that could be any kind of excuse for their behavior. Mr. Pelicot should be charged with attempted murder. She could have died from all the drugs he gave her.

[@tarot-karma-online]

Plus side effects of drugs

[@ME-jq3hm]

Who are the other 20? Judges? Police?

[@MarianneInmarsilia]

Shame on the defense lawyer…may she never get a good nights sleep again

[@ameribritmutt]

he has no good side

[@kifi672]

Oh he wrote her a poem now? That's creepy AF!

[@oliviacasino8888]

It turns my stomach to hear the “defence summation.” I know everyone is entitled to a defence etc etc but in this case, it is only serving to more clearly point out the horrific facts of this unbelievable saga.

[@Kyera-h1i]

Having them be careful is so that she didn't start wondering where bruises and other sore parts were coming from not for her safety but to hide it further

[@LLandS18]

Also give the reporter the benefit of the doubt and it was a slip of the tongue or English is in her first language. But she wasn't asleep. She was unconscious. Falling asleep is a passive term. Being unconscious applies that there was substances given to her without her consent. Or there was violence involved. And in this case both is true. Words matter and they have meaning.

[@Eric-dz1we]

This is insane. And she was drugged how many times for this to happen. Did she ever question what was going on and how she felt. So many questions was she held against her will

[@OR10777BE]

Narcissists do not mind so much being caught if it gets them international attention. They all should be sent to prison for 20 years each.

[@jillraymond2394]

If no lawyer had been prepared to defend him then he could have defended himself.

[@KarimeQuesada]

There is no way to defend any one of this rapists.

[@froggreen2067]

Its for life

[@Franzifii]

The virtue signaling is painful and enraging in this context. And saying there was no violence is beyond rude. And I lost it when I heard about the poem. How stupid, how embarassing is this man?

[@sandrajune1172]

20 years no less

[@guff9567]

Attention seeking BS

[@samanthamitchell4115]

Sorry what? Who is attention seeking lol

[@Franzifii]

​@@samanthamitchell4115I think they mean the criminal.

[@carolynramsay6737]

How did this go on for so long. How drugged was she? Didn't she feel weird in the morning? He not only raped her he controlled her mind😢

[@nickydietrich5924]

Can the presenters stop putting on an over the top French accent every time they say their names. We can say foreign names without adopting a fake accent and still be seen as culturally inclusive.

[@silviaquesada2499]

I speak French and hear no fake accent. Are you French?

[@moreplentyn]

Because they're pronouncing French names properly?

[@takahiro5528]

That is how the French accent works. They don't fake accents. I don't speak French but I have a French co-worker. Besides how can French people fake French accents? Hello!!! Brain cells are not working.

[@takahiro5528]

Do you speak French? If you don't then don't accuse them of faxing their accent.

[@Red-he4yk]

@@nickydietrich5924 What a strange thing to focus on.