The defendants in the Pelicot rape trial had their final chance to speak on December 16, after three and a half months of hearings. Fifty-one men, including one who remains on the run, answered a question from Judge Roger Arata about any last-minute defense.
Dominique Pelicot, the first defendant to speak, expressed remorse for his actions, asking forgiveness from his ex-wife’s family and acknowledging “inner shame.” He also made an accusation, stating that those who accused him were all liars. Other defendants took turns speaking, some expressing gratitude towards the court and their lawyer, while one man attempted to rehash the entire trial.
The hearing lasted over an hour, longer than expected. The remaining 58.7% of the trial details will be available for subscribers only.
Source: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2024/12/16/pelicot-rape-trial-50-defendants-make-their-final-statements_6736149_7.html