Depardieu case: actor sentenced to 18 months suspended for sexual assault
A cinematic giant sentenced. The Paris Criminal Court found Gérard Depardieu guilty on Tuesday, May 13, of the sexual assault charges against him during the filming of the 2021 film Les Volets verts. He received an 18-month suspended prison sentence for sexual assault, a two-year ineligibility period, and will be placed on the sex offender registry.
The actor, who was recently in Portugal to star in a film directed by his friend Fanny Ardant, was not present in the courtroom to hear the verdict. Gérard Depardieu's lawyer announced that he would appeal his conviction.
During the four-day trial, which took place at the end of March , the 76-year-old actor faced the plaintiffs, respectively a set designer and assistant director on Jean Becker's film, who accused him of sexual assault. At the end of the proceedings, the public prosecutor requested "a sentence that takes into account the total lack of questioning" of the defendant and requested 18 months of suspended prison sentence as well as an obligation to undergo psychological care.
In recent years, Gérard Depardieu has been accused of sexual assault by some twenty women, but several cases have been dismissed due to the statute of limitations. French actress Charlotte Arnould, who was present at the trial, filed a rape complaint in 2018. The Paris prosecutor's office has requested a trial against the actor.
La Croıx
