The trial of Dominique Plicot, accused of drugging his wife for 10 years so that at least 50 men, also accused, could rape her, is starting to turn into a scandal. Not because of the seriousness of the facts, but because this Monday Plicot was also absent from the trial due to a gallstone and a kidney infection and It is not known when he will be able to declare himself. I should have done it last week. He has been absent for several days and, despite being the main defendant, he was not admitted to hospitalThere was no clear diagnosis of what was happening to him and he was not treated until Saturday, «eight days after his pain began, I am amazed,» his lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro, said.
He is the main defendant in the largest sexual assault case in France in decades. Lawyers for both sides allege negligence and speak of an «anomalous situation» that borders on «scandal.» If he doesn’t testify, the 50 other men accused of raping his wife, Gisle Plicot, 70, won’t be able to testify. Dominique Plicot was supposed to testify last week. The trial, which began two weeks ago and is due to end in December, is already a week behind schedule, and if problems persist, it could be postponed until next year.
«We are talking about a great process, which attracts international interest«If he were to be sent back, it would mean starting from scratch,» denounced one of Gisle Plicot’s lawyers, Antoine Camus. «It took a week to find out what was happening to him. And now we know. You were not given the medications you were prescribed. because they are not in stock. We have been lost for a week without knowing if the process can continue,» said Stphane Babonneau.
The sequence, which borders on the surreal, is as follows: Plicot was absent on Monday because he was not feeling well, on Tuesday he could not testify, as expected, because he was in pain, but it is not clear what exactly happened to him. The president of the court, Roger Arana, asked a judicial expert to examine him. He supposedly did so and that same day, according to this expert, Plicot would have been fit to appear in court. He appeared in court early Wednesday morning, but could barely stand and left.
I didn’t show up on Thursday and I had to suspend Friday’s session and also that of this Monday. Lawyers for both sides have been warning for days that without Plicot the trial cannot continue. To date it has not been established what he had, his lawyer reports that, despite the seriousness of his condition, he is not hospitalized, but in prison, and that he has not received medical attention for his illness until last Saturday, «for several days.» After.»
We are talking about the protagonist of the biggest sexual assault scandal in decades in France. The other 50 involved in the trial depend on him. The lawyer of many of the accused, Patrick Gontard, said that if this continues, he will ask for the release of his clients.
The president of the court ordered two the collegial experts examine the accused and present a report on your health this afternoon and tomorrow, after reading it, it will be decided for how many days to suspend the trial, because It seems unlikely that Plicot will be able to testify tomorrow or the day after. «With the experts’ report we will make decisions on the continuation of the trial,» the president said. «Last week he said that suspending the trial would be a catastrophe.»
Last week, another expert had already examined him, who had in fact established that Plicot could appear in court. All the information is public and the defendant’s lawyer herself reported on Thursday that she had not been informed. «The situation is anomalous. For a week, we have been questioning ourselves every day about his state of health and his ability to appear at this trial. It is intolerable and unbearable. If he cannot come, we will find ourselves in a situation «a situation that we would define as scandalous»repeated Babonneau.
«For days we have been hostages of a situation that should have been resolved, especially when hundreds of people are involved in this trial,» denounced Plicot’s lawyer.
The one who was present at the hearing was Gisle Plicot, who has appreciated the outpourings of affection and support in recent days. On Saturday, demonstrations were held across France in his support with the slogan «We are all Gisle». He wanted the trial to be public and goes with his face uncovered because «shame must change sides».