Verdict Announced in Kim Kardashian Heist Trial
Yara Sameh
Eight people were found guilty on Friday after US reality TV star Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint of millions of dollars' worth of jewellery in Paris nearly a decade ago.
The four who took part in the heist were given sentences of up to eight years, mostly suspended, and they will not return to prison because of time served, while two people were acquitted.
Nine men and one woman were accused of carrying out or aiding the armed burglary of $10 million worth of jewellery, including a diamond engagement ring, during Paris Fashion Week in 2016.
"The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family," Kardashian said in a statement after the verdicts. "While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all."
Kardashian's lawyers said in a statement, "looks forward to putting this tragic episode behind her, as she continues working to improve the criminal justice system on behalf of victims, the innocent and the incarcerated seeking to redeem themselves".
On the night between 3 and 4 October 2016, as Kardashian was in her room at the Hotel de Pourtales in central Paris, a gang of men made their way into the building.
DNA evidence for Aomar Ait Khedache, 69, and Yunice Abbas, 71, placed them at the scene of the crime, and the two have admitted their involvement.
Khedache, who is now disabled, deaf and mute, was sentenced to eight years in prison, five of which were suspended.
Due to time already served, he will not return to prison, like all the others convicted.
Abbas, who has Parkinson's disease and recently underwent heart surgery, was sentenced to seven years' jail with five suspended, alongside Didier Dubreucq.
The fourth member of the robbery gang, Marc-Alexandre Boyer, 35, was given the same sentence. With most of those convicted now in their 60s and 70s, the group has been dubbed the "Grandpa robbers" by French media.
But since the beginning of the trial in April, both prosecutors and civil parties have vigorously pushed back against notions that the robbers were harmless.
Prosecutor General Anne-Dominique Merville had urged the jury not to be swayed by their age and health conditions, describing the defendants as "seasoned robbers" when they carried out the heist.
But the sentences handed out were much lower than prosecutors were seeking.
"The sentences are quite lenient; I understand that you understand that you have caused harm," Judge David De Pas told the defendants as he delivered the verdicts.
He said that "the state of health of the main protagonists ethically prohibits incarcerating anyone. It would have been unjust to take you to prison this evening."
Kardashian told the court earlier this month that she forgave Khedache after receiving a letter of apology from him.
"I do appreciate the letter for sure. I do appreciate it, I forgive you," she said.
What happened during the heist?
During the trial, Kardashian recounted the events of that evening. She said she retired to her hotel room at around 03:00 when two masked gunmen wearing police uniforms burst in, dragging with them the hotel's receptionist, who had been bound and gagged.
She managed to call her bodyguard before one of the men took her phone from her. They snatched her engagement ring, which had been lying on the bedside table, and then "picked me up off the bed and grabbed me and took me down the hallway to look for more jewellery".
One of the men held a gun to her back, and she was thrown onto the bed, her hands bound with zip ties.
At this point, she told the concierge, "Please translate to them that I have babies, I have to make it home."
One of the men then pulled her towards him, which opened her robe, under which she wasn't wearing anything. She told the court she was afraid she was going to be raped, but then her legs were tied together.
A gun was pointed at her, and she said she believed she was going to die. The robbers then took the jewellery and dashed out of the suite, leaving Kardashian in the bathroom.
After managing to free herself with the help of her friend and stylist Simone Harouche, she ran out onto the balcony to call for help. Kardashian said she was worried the men would return, and that when Parisian police turned up, she couldn't trust them because the robbers had also been wearing police uniforms.
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