French Actor Gerard Depardieu Cleared of Sexual Assault Complaint Due to Statute of Limitations
French prosecutors have dismissed a sexual assault complaint filed against renowned actor Gerard Depardieu by French actress Hélène Darras. The complaint, which was filed on September 10, 2023, has been dismissed due to the statute of limitations, according to a statement from the Paris Prosecutor’s Office.
This complaint was filed separately by Darras after she was interviewed as a witness during an ongoing investigation related to a lawsuit filed by Charlotte Arnould in 2018. Depardieu was indicted on rape charges in connection with Arnould’s case in 2020.
Darras was one of the 13 women who accused Depardieu of sexual misconduct in an investigative story published by Mediapart in April 2023. Another woman, Spanish journalist Ruth Baza, also claimed to have filed an official complaint against the actor in Spain, alleging an assault during an interview in Paris in 1995. However, this complaint falls beyond the 20-year statute of limitations in France.
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office stated that apart from Arnould, no other women have come forward with testimonies that provide new evidence to support the ongoing investigation. It is important to note that Depardieu has not been convicted in connection with any of the allegations and maintains his innocence.
The complaint filed by Darras was initially reported by France 2, the French public broadcaster, in a documentary titled “Complement d’Enquete: the Downfall of an Ogre.” This bombshell documentary, released on December 7, shed light on raw footage of Depardieu making sexually inappropriate and obscene jokes during a shoot in North Korea. One particular joke about a child riding a pony caused outrage in France, leading then culture minister Rima Abdul-Malak to threaten revoking Depardieu’s Legion of Honor. However, President Emmanuel Macron later defended Depardieu and criticized Abdul-Malak’s hasty remarks. Abdul-Malak was eventually replaced by Rachida Dati as the new culture minister as part of a government reshuffle.
The dismissal of the sexual assault complaint against Gerard Depardieu due to the statute of limitations has sparked mixed reactions in France. While some argue that justice has not been served, others believe that the decision is in line with legal procedures. The ongoing investigation will continue, but for now, Depardieu remains free of any convictions related to these allegations.
