51 guilty, ex-husband gets 20 yrs in jail after shocking French mass rape trial

A court in Avignon, France, on Thursday found all 51 defendants guilty in a drugging-and-rape case that horrified the world and transformed the victim, Gisele Pelicot, into a stirring symbol of courage and resilience.

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Her ex-husband of 50 years, Dominique Pelicot, had pleaded guilty to drugging her repeatedly for almost a decade to rape her and to offer up her unconscious body for sex to dozens of strangers he had met online while videoing the abuse.

A panel of five judges sentenced him to a maximum of 20 years in jail, as requested by prosecutors.

Shortly after the verdict, Gisele spoke of her "very difficult ordeal", expressing support for other victims of sexual violence whose cases don't get much attention and "whose stories remain untold".

"I want you to know that we share the same fight," she said in her first words after the verdict, even as campaigners against sexual violence protested outside the courthouse. "My profound gratitude towards the people who supported me," the 72-year-old said.

The court imposed generally shorter terms than the four to 18 years demanded by the prosecution for the other defendants, almost all of whom were accused of raping the comatose Gisele. Dominique and the 50 other defendants each stood up, one after the other, as Chief Judge Roger Arata read out first the verdicts and then the sentences - a process that took over an hour.

"You are therefore declared guilty of aggravated rape on the person of Mme Gisèle Pelicot," the judge said as he worked his way through the long list of names. Gisèle faced the defendants in the courtroom, sometimes nodding her head as the verdicts were announced.

Dominique's lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, said she would consider an appeal, but also expressed hope that Gisèle would find solace in the rulings. "I wanted Mrs Pelicot to be able to emerge from these hearings in peace, and I think that the verdicts will contribute to this relief for Mrs Pelicot," she said.