Filmmaker Besson faces sexual aggression enquiry, rape probe dropped
25/02/2019 21:52
(Updates with new allegations)
By Emmanuel Jarry
PARIS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - French prosecutors said on Monday
they had dropped a preliminary investigation on rape allegations
against film director Luc Besson, but later confirmed that a
separate enquiry has been launched following new claims of
sexual aggression.
Prosecutors in Paris had opened an investigation last May,
which according to police sources followed allegations by an
actress that she had been raped by Besson after meeting him at a
hotel in the French capital.
The "Nikita" and "Taken" director had denied the
allegations.
The case was dropped after "numerous investigations," the
Paris prosecutor's office said in a statement.
In another statement later on Monday, however, it said a new
preliminary investigation was launched on Feb. 21.
"The Paris prosecutor's office received a claim last week
denouncing an instance of sexual aggression," it said, adding
that police where verifying the allegations.
Besson's lawyer Thierry Marembert could not immediately be
reached for comment on the new investigation. He previously
welcome the prosecutor's decision to drop the rape probe.
"This decision follows a very thorough investigation carried
out by judicial police, which (Besson) fully cooperated with,"
Marembert said in the statement.
French news site Mediapart reported last week that an
actress currently living in the United States had taken her case
to prosecutors, alleging she had had to "escape" from Besson
after he lunged at her at a professional meeting in 2002.
Under French law, that would normally mean the allegations
would fall under the statute of limitations and could no longer
be subject to legal proceedings.
Shares in Besson's production company EuropaCorp ECP.PA
closed up more than 11 percent on news that the rape claim had
been thrown out.
(Writing by Sarah White, Editing by Angus MacSwan and Dan
Grebler)
((sarah.white1@thomsonreuters.com; + 33 (0) 1 49 49 56 85;))