The judgment has fallen. Jean-Marc Morandini, the star host of CNews who launched the seventh season of "Morandini Live" on Monday, was sentenced on Tuesday to six months in prison suspended for sexual harassment by the criminal court of Paris. He also receives an obligation of psychological care and three years of ineligibility. His production company will have to pay a fine of 10,000 euros for concealed work.
During the trial, which took place for two days in June, the host's two lawyers asked for his acquittal while the prosecutor requested a six-month suspended prison sentence. Jean-Marc Morandini, 57, had to explain the dubious castings organized in 2015 during the preparation of a web series entitled "Les Faucons", which he financed via his company "Ne Zappez pas! Production".
The host had approached five young actors on social networks, using a fictitious profile, called Catherine Leclerc. Under the identity of this woman presenting herself as casting director, Jean-Marc Morandini promised to participate in this shoot in exchange for photos and videos of a sexual nature. To one of them, he had asked if he felt ready to give him a. The five men had filed complaints.
Another conviction for "corruption of minors"
Accusations that echoed the first case for which he was tried in October 2022. In it, Jean-Marc Morandini was sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence for "corruption of minors". He had been accused of holding and fueling gravelly discussions by text message, punctuated by repeated requests to send intimate photos, with three underage teenagers, whom he had approached via social networks.
The host appealed this decision. Despite this heavy sentence, CNews had made it known that it still counted on the star presenter of its mornings. The management had put forward that the presumption of innocence continues to apply, as long as the host has not been retried.