Coline Berry-Rojtman, tried for defamation of Jeane Manson, was acquitted on appeal

JUSTICE – Decision overturned in a new twist. Richard Berry’s daughter, Coline Berry-Rojtman, initially convicted of defamation against her ex-mother-in-law Jeane Manson, was acquitted this Wednesday, July 17 by the Lyon Court of Appeal.

The court acquitted him both for comments published in The worldand for others broadcast on BFMTV, according to the decision rendered at the end of the appeal trial which was held on May 7, after the annulment by the Court of Cassation in December 2023 of a first judgment rendered a year earlier.

At the time, the Riom (Puy-de-Dôme) Court of Appeal upheld Coline Berry-Rojtman’s conviction, fining her 2,000 euros for defamation and 20,000 euros in damages to her former mother-in-law. There was also an additional 10,000 euros in legal costs.

Coline Berry accuses her father Richard of incest

“We can finally say justice for Coline Berry”reacted his lawyers Patrick Klugman and Ivan Terel, contacted by AFP.

He was, according to them, “It is impossible to condemn Coline Berry for having denounced what she experienced”The defense lawyers emphasize that the Lyon magistrates, in their judgment, “noted that Coline Berry had done everything to have her claims verified”by filing a complaint, which led to the opening of an investigation which was closed due to the statute of limitations.

In an article published by The world In February 2021, Coline Berry-Rojtman spoke of sexual violence she allegedly suffered as a minor in 1984 and 1985 at the home of her father who was then living with Jeane Manson, accused of having participated with him in these attacks.

The 73-year-old former singer had decided to sue her ex-daughter-in-law for defamation before the court of Aurillac, in Cantal, where she lives part of the year.

Case closed without further action

Also implicated were journalists from Monde and the daily newspaper had not been convicted. The investigation targeting the actor accused of incest by his daughter was closed without further action on August 31, 2022 due to the statute of limitations.

Jeane Manson suffered a heart attack after the May 7 hearing, requiring three days of hospitalization. She left the courtroom in a hurry after a final statement, just as her lawyer was due to begin his closing argument.

The latter, Me Jacques Verdier, had denounced a « vengeance » by Coline Berry-Rojtman against her father, including her client “appears as collateral damage”.

For her part, Coline Berry-Rojtman maintained her position: “For me, this is the most flagrant injustice because I am being prosecuted for having denounced the facts of which I was a victim.”she had lamented.