Kim Kardashian robbery trial delivers measured verdict: 'You caused harm. You instilled fear. But the passage of time was taken into account'
The defendants in the Kim Kardashian robbery trial owe a considerable debt of gratitude to the Paris criminal court judges, the jurors, their lawyers and their primary victim. On Friday, May 23, after a long day of deliberations, the judges delivered a verdict that was both clear, legally sound and humane. Most of the defense attorneys, working under publicly funded legal aid, spared neither time nor expertise in mounting a rigorous defense against the prosecution's claims and succeeded in securing two acquittals. As for Kardashian, her restrained and composed testimony, along with her gesture of partial forgiveness, helped maintain a calm tone in court.
None of the convicted defendants will return to prison. The sentences handed down – ranging from four to eight years' imprisonment – were either partially or fully suspended, taking into account time already served in pre-trial detention, along with a probationary suspension that includes several obligations.
The six jurors and three professional judges brought nuance and made significant corrections to the sensational and widely publicized story of the armed robbery committed on the night of October 3, 2016. Their verdict focused on the essentials: They upheld the investigation by the brigade de Répression du Banditisme (special police anti-gang unit) regarding the direct perpetrators of the armed robbery and kidnapping of the American celebrity. The court was convinced that Aomar Aït Khedache, Yunice Abbas, Didier Dubreucq and Marc-Alexandre Boyer were among the men who entered the Hôtel No Address at 3 am, where Kardashian was staying.
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France 24
25-05-2025
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Syria to help locate missing Americans: US envoy
The announcement came a day after the United States formally lifted sanctions on Syria, ending more than a decade of diplomatic freeze. Relations have steadily improved since former president Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in an Islamist-led offensive in December. "The new Syrian government has agreed to assist the USA in locating and returning USA citizens or their remains," US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack wrote on X, describing it as a "powerful step forward". "The families of Austin Tice, Majd Kamalmaz, and Kayla Mueller must have closure," he added, referring to American citizens who had gone missing or been killed during Syria's devastating civil war that erupted in 2011. Tice was working as a freelance journalist for Agence France-Presse, The Washington Post, and other outlets when he was detained at a checkpoint in August 2012. Kamalmaz, a Syrian-American psychotherapist, was believed to have died after being detained under the Assad government in 2017. Mueller was an aid worker kidnapped by the Islamic State group, which announced her death in February 2015, saying she was killed in a Jordanian air strike, a claim disputed by US authorities. "President (Donald) Trump has made it clear that bringing home USA citizens or honoring, with dignity, their remains is a major priority everywhere," said Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey. "The new Syrian Government will aid us in this commitment," he added. Americans killed by IS A Syrian source aware of the talks between the two countries told AFP there were 11 other names on Washington's list, all of them Syrian-Americans. The source added that a Qatari delegation began this month, at Washington's request, a search mission for the remains of American hostages killed by IS. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights meanwhile said that "the Qatari delegation is still searching in Aleppo province for the bodies of American citizens executed by IS". Two US journalists, James Foley and Stephen Sotloff, were videotaped in 2014 being beheaded by a militant who spoke on camera with a British accent. El Shafee Elsheikh, a jihadist from London, was found guilty in 2022 of hostage-taking and conspiracy to murder US citizens -- Foley and Sotloff, as well as aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. The formal lifting of US sanctions also coincided with Syria's new authorities reshuffling their interior ministry to include fighting cross-border drug and people smuggling, as they seek to improve ties with the West. The lifting of sanctions paves the way for reconstruction efforts in the war-torn country, where authorities are relying on foreign assistance to help foot the massive cost of rebuilding. Syria's foreign ministry on Saturday welcomed the US lifting of sanctions, calling the move "a positive step in the right direction to reduce humanitarian and economic struggles in the country". The sanctions relief extends to the new government on condition that Syria does not provide safe haven for terrorist organisations and ensure security for religious and ethnic minorities, the US Treasury Department said.
LeMonde
24-05-2025
- LeMonde
Kim Kardashian robbery trial delivers measured verdict: 'You caused harm. You instilled fear. But the passage of time was taken into account'
The defendants in the Kim Kardashian robbery trial owe a considerable debt of gratitude to the Paris criminal court judges, the jurors, their lawyers and their primary victim. On Friday, May 23, after a long day of deliberations, the judges delivered a verdict that was both clear, legally sound and humane. Most of the defense attorneys, working under publicly funded legal aid, spared neither time nor expertise in mounting a rigorous defense against the prosecution's claims and succeeded in securing two acquittals. As for Kardashian, her restrained and composed testimony, along with her gesture of partial forgiveness, helped maintain a calm tone in court. None of the convicted defendants will return to prison. The sentences handed down – ranging from four to eight years' imprisonment – were either partially or fully suspended, taking into account time already served in pre-trial detention, along with a probationary suspension that includes several obligations. The six jurors and three professional judges brought nuance and made significant corrections to the sensational and widely publicized story of the armed robbery committed on the night of October 3, 2016. Their verdict focused on the essentials: They upheld the investigation by the brigade de Répression du Banditisme (special police anti-gang unit) regarding the direct perpetrators of the armed robbery and kidnapping of the American celebrity. The court was convinced that Aomar Aït Khedache, Yunice Abbas, Didier Dubreucq and Marc-Alexandre Boyer were among the men who entered the Hôtel No Address at 3 am, where Kardashian was staying.
Local France
24-05-2025
- Local France
Kardashian 'grateful' after Paris robbers convicted
Describing the heist as "the most terrifying experience of my life", Kardashian swiftly expressed her gratitude to the French authorities for pursuing "justice" in the case. Nine men and one woman have been on trial since April and prosecutors sought the toughest jail terms -- 10 years -- for the four men accused of carrying out the robbery. Aomar Ait Khedache, 69, the ringleader, was handed the heaviest sentence of three years in prison plus five years suspended, but due to time served in jail will not return to detention, like all the others convicted. Two other suspects accused of handing information about the American superstar's whereabouts were acquitted. All the sentences were substantially lower than the terms demanded by the prosecution. Kardashian, then 35, was robbed while staying at an exclusive hotel in the French capital on the night of October 2-3, 2016. She was threatened with a gun to the head and tied up, with her mouth taped. Kardashian said after the verdict she she was "deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice". "The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family," she said in a statement sent by her lawyers. "While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all," she added. Advertisement 'I am very sorry' After the hearing adjourned, the convicted men embraced their loved ones in relief and slowly left the courtroom, taking with them the bags and suitcases they had prepared in case of imprisonment. "The sentences are quite lenient; I understand that you understand that you have caused harm," presiding judge David De Pas told them as he read out the verdicts. He also said "the state of health of the main protagonists ethically prohibits incarcerating anyone. It would have been unjust to take you to prison this evening." Aomar Ait Khedache had begged to be forgiven in his final statement ahead of sentencing. Khedache is now virtually mute and completely deaf, and his statement was read out by his lawyer. "I ask for forgiveness. I can't find the words. I am very sorry," he wrote, asking for "a thousand pardons" from his son Harminy, who was convicted for acting as a driver on the night of the heist. Two other men convicted of carrying out the robbery on the night, Yunice Abbas, 71, and Didier Dubreucq, 69, were sentenced to seven years jail including five suspended. Dubreucq was absent as he is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. The fourth member of the robbery gang, Marc-Alexandre Boyer, at 35 the only youngster, was given the same sentence. Kardashian's lawyers said in a statement that the star "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". Advertisement 'Grandpa robbers' Most of the stolen valuables were never recovered, including a diamond ring given to Kardashian by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West. The ring alone was valued at €3.5 million ($3.9 million). The robbery was the biggest against a private individual in France in 20 years. Most of the accused are now in their 60s and 70s and have been dubbed the "Grandpa robbers" by French media. But making the sentencing demands earlier this week, the prosecutor urged the judges and jury to remember that Kardashian was targeted by a violent attack and not to be taken in by the "wrinkles" of the defendants. The American star testified at the trial, wearing a diamond necklace valued at $3 million, according to its New York-based creator Samer Halimeh. During the trial, Kardashian told the court she forgave Khedache after hearing a letter of apology from him. "I forgive you for what has taken place but it does not change the emotion, the feelings, the trauma and the way my life changed," she told Khedache, adding that she believed in a "second chance". Kardashian, sometimes described as "famous for being famous", became well known in the early 2000s through TV reality shows, before launching fashion brands and appearing in films.
