Gérard Depardieu’s sexual assault proceedings delayed

A Paris court has announced that the trial of French actor Gérard Depardieu, facing sexual assault charges, has been deferred until March due to his ill health. Depardieu, aged 75, was not present at the trial’s commencement earlier on Monday. His legal representative requested a postponement of the proceedings, citing the actor’s health problems. Depardieu stands accused of assaulting two women during the production of the 2021 film Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters), marking France’s most prominent #MeToo case. According to prosecutors, he directed explicit sexual comments towards, and subsequently aggressively “groped,” two individuals on the production crew. A conviction could result in a five-year prison sentence. He refutes these accusations, stating that he has never “abused a woman”. The proceedings commenced at a criminal court in the French capital around 13:30 local time (12:30 GMT). Jeremie Assous, Depardieu’s lawyer, informed French media that the actor was “deeply affected” by illness and had received medical advice against attending the trial. Assous further stated that his client had requested the delay because he “wishes to come, wants to express himself” before the court; however, the proceedings initially continued without him. Subsequently, the court’s president opted to adjourn the trial until 24-25 March, also mandating a medical evaluation of the actor. This trial is considered a significant event for France’s #MeToo movement, as Depardieu represents the most prominent figure in French cinema to confront sexual assault allegations. The women involved, whose identities remain undisclosed, assert that Depardieu directed sexual comments towards them. They also claim he “violently grabbed” and “groped” them. Depardieu’s legal counsel has leveled accusations of “false accusations” against the women. He additionally asserted that one of the women was trying to “make money” by seeking €30,000 ($32,500; £25,000) in damages, as reported by Le Monde. Since these allegations emerged, Depardieu has largely been ostracized. He has not featured in a film since 2022, and he is scheduled for a second trial next year concerning charges of raping actress Charlotte Arnould twice at his Paris residence. He denies these allegations. Furthermore, Depardieu has faced sexual assault accusations from over a dozen additional women. Notwithstanding the increasing number of allegations, the actor has garnered significant support from certain segments of France’s artistic community. A collective of over 50 actors, directors, and producers declared in a letter published last year that the accusations against Depardieu constituted “an attack on art itself”. The letter, endorsed by actors Charlotte Rampling, Carole Bouquet, Pierre Richard, and singers Carla Bruni and Jacques Dutronc, stated their inability to “remain silent in the face of the lynching that has fallen upon [Depardieu]”. French President Emmanuel Macron also drew criticism last year after characterizing the actor as “the pride of France”. Macron further asserted that Depardieu was undergoing a “manhunt”. Activists contended that these remarks weakened initiatives aimed at safeguarding women from violence. Actress Léa Seydoux labeled Macron’s statements “crazy,” remarking that they “gives a very bad image for France”. Despite Macron’s public backing, his then-culture minister, Rima Abdul-Malak, indicated she would consider revoking Depardieu’s Legion d’Honneur following the appearance of footage from a 2018 documentary filmed in North Korea, showing him making sexual remarks in the presence of women. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.