The civil trial of Gilbert Rozónformer producer and founder of the “Juste pour Rire” festival and member of the jury of France has incredible talent for 11 seasons onwards M6opened in Canada. Nine women accuse him of sexual assaults that occurred between the 1980s and the early 2000sseeking nearly $14 million in damages.
Gilbert Rozon’s lawyers attempted to postpone the trial, citing a new law recently in force, which they believe is likely “depriving the client of a complete defense”. However, Justice Chantal Tremblay of the Quebec Superior Court rejected this request. Due to the recent enactment of the law, the court decided that the trial would proceed as if the law were not in force. The trial is expected to last 43 days and conclude on March 28, 2025.
Among the plaintiffs is Patricia Tulasne, an actress, who testified about the repercussions of the alleged assault on her career and personal life. He stated yes “start hating yourself” after the accident.
In 2017, during the #MeToo movement in Quebec, several women filed complaints against Gilbert Rozon. Of the 14 complaints filed, only one led to a criminal trial, which ended in acquittal in 2020. Judge Mélanie Hébert then concluded that there was reasonable doubt about Rozon’s guilt.
The nine current complainants, initially grouped under the collective “Les Courageuses”had attempted a class action, which was rejected by the Quebec Court of Appeal in 2020. They then filed individual lawsuits, now consolidated into a single civil lawsuit.
This was underlined by Sophie Gagnon, general director of Juripop the abolition of the limitation period in 2020 allows victims of sexual assault to file civil complaints at any time. But she clarifies it “this does not mean that the claims will be won easily”due to the intimate nature of these crimes and the challenges involved in proving them.
Gilbert Rozon, 70, has always denied the charges against him. He is therefore currently presumed innocent, awaiting the verdict of the Canadian courts…
