Dominique Pelicot asks his family to “accept their apologies” during his last speech before the verdict

The 50 accused present have one last opportunity to express themselves, Monday morning, before the Vaucluse criminal court withdraws to deliberate, for a verdict expected on Thursday.

A final declaration before the shadow and the silence. The main accused in the Mazan rape trial, Dominique Pelicot, prayed to his family “to accept his apology”Monday December 16. “I regret what I did (…) I ask them for forgiveness”he continued in his last speech before the verdict of this emblematic trial of sexual violence. “I would like to tell all my family that I love them”he formulated, after having mentioned his suffering “to no longer see his loved ones”.

Before the Vaucluse criminal court, in Avignon, Dominique Pelicot also greeted the “courage” of his ex-wife, Gisèle, whom he had drugged for a decade to rape her and deliver her to dozens of men recruited on the internet. She has “could bear the hints of complicity” aiming at her, he praised.

The main accused also thanked his lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro. “On several occasions, I wanted to let go of the ramp”he said. “Through your advice, your humanity, you advised me against it: it would have been proof of cowardice towards my people, an ease for the accused”he added, before noting the humanity and professionalism of prison officers.

After three and a half months of hearing, the 49 other men who appear (a fiftieth are on the run) each had one last opportunity to speak, Monday morning. The court then retired, mid-morning, to deliberate. “The deliberations will take place at 9:30 a.m. Thursday”said the president, Roger Arata, evoking a date “theoretical” which could be postponed to Thursday afternoon or Friday morning depending “of duration” discussions.