Incest charges against Richard Berry: Coline Berry sentenced on appeal for defamation

She was tried on appeal for defamation of her mother-in-law, singer Jeane Manson, whom she associates with the accusations of incest that she brings against her father, comedian Richard Berry.

Coline Berry-Rotjman, the actor's eldest daughter, was sentenced on appeal on Thursday to the same sentence as at first instance: a fine of €2,000 and €20,000 in damages.

“It is not a court decision, it is a pure and simple scandal, assures Me Patrick Klugman, Coline Berry's lawyer.

It feels like an era seeking revenge on another.

We will not stop there.

The purpose of this procedure was to silence Coline Berry and the other victims of abuse and incest, but Coline Berry will not be silent.

“The lawyer also announces that he will lodge an appeal in cassation and “if necessary”, would seize the European Court of Human Rights.

The voice of victims “criminalised”?

“The first judgment was rendered when the investigation into the facts denounced by Coline Berry was not even closed, continues the council.

In the meantime, the investigation has reclassified the facts and closed the complaint on the grounds of prescription and not of insufficient evidence: it is not acceptable that, in this context, Coline Berry be sanctioned for defamation.

What is the use of telling victims to free speech if it is to criminalize the speech of victims?

»

A preliminary investigation was opened on January 25, 2021 after Coline Berry-Rojtman's complaint for "acts of rape and sexual assault on a 15-year-old minor by ascendant and corruption of a minor".

The defamation of which he is accused relates to two consecutive publications.

The first is an article from Le Monde published in February 2021 and the second, comments made during an interview on BFMTV in March 2021.

Read alsoBerry-Manson affair: what the investigation into Coline Berry's complaint against her father contains

Coline Berry-Rojtman accused her father of rape and sexual assault with the complicity of singer Jeane Manson, then married to the actor, for participation in "sex games".

The court of Aurillac (Cantal) had pronounced on April 14 its deliberation in the first trial.

The release requested by the public prosecutor had indeed been returned to the benefit of the newspaper Le Monde, also prosecuted for having relayed these accusations, but Coline Berry had been sentenced to pay a fine of 2,000 euros for her remarks, 20,000 euros for damage for the plaintiff Jeane Manson, as well as 5,000 euros for legal costs.

Coline Berry immediately appealed.