The harshest sentence was sought for Dominique Pelicot, described as the “mastermind” behind the decade-long rapes of his wife

The public prosecutors’ summation concluded on the morning of Wednesday, November 27, in Avignon, marking the end of three days of arguments that began on Monday. The prosecution requested prison sentences ranging from 4 to 20 years for the 51 defendants in the Mazan rape trial, which is taking place before the criminal court of Vaucluse.

Severe sentences sought, with an exception for Joseph C.

Dominique Pelicot, identified as the “orchestrator” of the rapes of his wife Gisèle, who was allegedly drugged with tranquilizers to be handed over to strangers, faced a request for the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the highest penalty for aggravated rape. Public prosecutor Laure Chabaud emphasized that while “20 years is already significant,” it remains “insufficient given the gravity of the crimes” and called for a review of his situation at the end of his sentence for possible retention measures.

Joseph C., the 69-year-old retiree and the only defendant charged with sexual assault rather than aggravated rape, had a request for four years in prison. The accused, who denies the allegations, had only visited the Pelicot home once, on the night of June 9, 2020. “At no point did he speak to me about rape or that his wife was on medication,” he testified.

Other defendants: sentences between 10 and 18 years

For the remaining defendants, sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years of criminal detention were sought. The first 38 were requested to receive prison terms from 10 to 14 years, while the final 11 were sought to receive sentences between 15 and 18 years. These demands, presented by public prosecutors Jean-François Mayet and Laure Chabaud, are notably more severe than the national average for rape convictions, which was 11.1 years in 2022.

A trial symbolic for the future

In concluding her summation, Laure Chabaud stressed the significance of this trial: it would send a powerful message that “ordinary rape does not exist” and “accidental or involuntary rape does not exist.” Despite moments of “disturbing solidarity” among the defendants, the public prosecutor expressed hope that this case would mark “a turning point.” She added that this trial “is a stone in the edifice that others will continue to build” and that the verdict, expected no later than December 20, would send a message of hope to all victims and restore a part of the humanity taken from Gisèle Pelicot.