the director accused of rape placed under assisted witness status, what does that mean?

Justice continues its work on cases of sexist and sexual violence in the French cinema sector. After the conviction of Nicolas Bedos last October, it will be the turn of director Christophe Ruggia to appear before the Paris Criminal Court for sexual assault on actress Adèle Haenel next Monday and Tuesday.

As for the accusations, the news was marked by those targeting the actor Gérard Darmon. But an artist now symbolizes the fight against this violence, Judith Godrècheafter his revelations concerning Benoît Jacquot following the broadcast of his series Icon of French Cinema. She also accused the director Jacques Doillon of having abused her when she was 15 on the set of The fifteen year old girl in 1987 and is now indicted for defamation. But what about the person targeted by his complaint?

Jacques Doillon under assisted witness status

This Friday, December 6, 2024, Jacques Doillon was summoned by the Paris prosecutor's office with a view to possible indictment. Last July, he was placed in police custody by the Minor Protection Brigade after complaints of rape and attempted rape from several women, but he was released for medical reasons.

After a long interrogation by judges, he finally placed under the status of assisted witness this Friday, a status “plus favorable” specifies BFM TV. According to the public service website, this is indeed a status “intermediary between that of the witness and that of the accused” to designate a person implicated in a judicial investigation. It is specified that “the judge grants the status of assisted witness to the suspect when the conditions for his indictment are not met”. The assisted witness therefore designates “the suspect in respect of whom evidence makes it likely that he may have participated in the commission of the offense” and for the accused, “the clues must be serious or consistent”.

Judith Godrèche: symbol of the liberation of speech

For his lawyer, Me Marie Dosé, “there is no serious or consistent evidence against Jacques Doillon in this case, and the exculpatory evidence is unequivocal”. According to her, “we brought correspondence, emails, which highlight the lies of the civil party”. The magistrate who defends Jacques Doillon clarified: “In certain cases, questions around the notion of consent can and must arise. But that's not the case here“. Yet, Judith Godrèche is not the only one to have accused the director of sexual assault. The actresses Isild le Besco and Anna Mouglalis spoke in February 2024 on the subject. On Instagram, Judith Godrèche yesterday published a photo of herself at the age of 15 with the caption: “A day when we invent a prayer. It’s today”. She has so far not reacted to the announcement of the placement under assisted witness status of the one she accuses.

Aged 80, Jacques Doillon was to release the film in the cinema CE2 about a little girl who was the victim of school bullying. The interpreter of the young heroine's mother, Nora Hamzawi, had positioned herself against the release of the feature film in theaters. Known for works like Fingers in the Head, The Weeping Woman or The Little Criminalhe is the father of Lou Douillon, fruit of his union with Jane Birkin. On the justice side, the expected trial of Gérard Depardieu for sexual assault will also take place in 2025 : March 24 and 25 in Paris.

Editor for Aufeminin since 2022, Charlotte is passionate about cinema, French and international, and a fortune reader. Curious about everything, she talks as much about personalities as…