The verdicts and sentences for the 49 men accused of raping Gisele Pelicot are expected to be announced as early as 9:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET) on Thursday morning. The shocking case involves Gisele's former husband, Dominique Pelicot, who has confessed to recruiting over 70 men to allegedly rape her over a span of 10 years.
For the past 11 weeks, the main courtroom of the Palais de Justice in Avignon, a city in southern France, has been filled with media representatives from France and around the world, as well as members of the public, closely following the trial proceedings.
The five judges presiding over the case will utilize a secret ballot to deliver their verdicts. The chief judge, Roger Arata, will announce the results to the court. Arata has cautioned that while the judges are aiming to provide the outcome on Thursday morning, the timing is tentative. He emphasized that he and his fellow judges will not leave the deliberation chamber until a decision has been reached.
In the event of any delays, the announcement of the verdicts may be pushed back to either Thursday afternoon or Friday. The anticipation surrounding this high-profile case has gripped the attention of the public and media alike, with many eagerly awaiting the final judgment in this harrowing trial.
