Dominique Pelicot will, in principle, return to the session on Tuesday, after an absence of more than a week due to his health.
Dominique Pelicot, the main accused in the Mazan rape trial, will in principle return to court on Tuesday, September 17th, after an absence of more than a week due to ill health, his lawyer revealed on Monday, September 16th.
“I received a message from the president (of the court, NDLR) in which he claimed that Dominique Pelicot will be present at tomorrow's session with special adaptation conditions, namely: the sequence of hearings and the usual rest time,” indicated AFP Me Béatrice Zavarro.
On Monday morning, the president of the criminal court of Vaucluse, Roger Arata, ordered a medical evaluation to take stock of the state of health of this 71-year-old pensioner, accused of drugging his wife in order to rape and be raped by dozens of men. , fifty of whom are also on trial in this landmark case of sexual violence and chemical subjugation.
“Will the president start with him?”
“As long as we don't have that expertise, we can't take a position” on whether to continue this process, Roger Arata explained, meeting with all parties at 9 a.m. Tuesday when the hearing reopens. Dominique Pelicot underwent a CT scan on Sunday and is suffering from “a kidney stone, a kidney infection and a prostate problem,” according to the president.
Asked if her client could be heard on Tuesday, Ms Zavarro could not be more specific at this stage. “The president will start with him or he will start with the lady and her children, I have no idea, but either way he will be there,” the lawyer explained. Dominique Pelicot's hearing is eagerly awaited because, although he admitted the facts, he has not spoken in detail since the beginning of the trial. Comparing her version with those of the other accused will also be crucial in this trial which has become emblematic of violence against women.