Latest news with #Rozon
Vancouver Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
'Convicted, executed the same day... what more do you want?' Just for Laughs founder blasts media at sex assault civil trial
MONTREAL — The founder of Montreal's Just for Laughs festival broke his silence on Thursday about sexual assault allegations, accusing reporters of denying him justice as he emerged from a second day on the stand at a civil trial. Gilbert Rozon, 70, is testifying in his own defence in response to allegations from nine Quebec women who are seeking $14 million in damages over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct in Quebec Superior Court. He has denied the allegations. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Soon after the testimony, Rozon sparred with reporters about how they had covered his case. 'Convicted, executed the same day, and then I lost everything. So what more do you want? It was the business I built with my own hands and my teams for 35 years, all the women who were at the top were kicked out,' the Just for Laughs founder said following his second day on the stand. 'I lost everything, I was ruined. I'm here for justice, not even for myself, it's so that the law remains.' Earlier in the day, the Quebec impresario testified he regretted pleading guilty to a charge involving a 19-year-old female croupier during a 1998 party at the Manoir Rouville-Campbell in Mont-St-Hilaire, Que. Rozon told the court he was under immense pressure to resolve the case, which caused his entertainment company to be 'plunged into a media hellhole' when it was made public. 'We were losing tens of thousands of dollars a day. It quickly reached $2 million,' Rozon told the court. After meeting with family, he said he was encouraged to settle the matter and plead guilty. He eventually received an unconditional discharge on appeal. 'They told me it was better to settle for the good of the company,' Rozon told the court. 'But for a long time I resented those who had ordered me to do that because I felt like I was betraying my convictions, my principles.' All of the women suing Rozon in the civil trial have testified about their experiences and faced cross-examination. Rozon said outside the courtroom he would answer all allegations made during the trial. 'If I don't defend myself, it will become a form of legalized extortion, and that's what's happening,' Rozon said. 'What do I have to gain here? … Explain it to me, please.' His testimony is expected to continue over several days in the coming weeks. 'A couple of weeks from now they (will) ask me all the questions and you can trust them to push me to the limit, so I'll answer it,' Rozon said. 'You can be sure of that.' Rozon's second day on the stand also touched on his lengthy career as an entertainment mogul, discussing the rise of his Just for Laughs comedy empire, as well as his popularity in France as a no-nonsense judge on 'La France a un incroyable talent,' a show based on the U.S. version, 'America's Got Talent.' Rozon was a star on the French show until he was let go due to his legal troubles in 2017. Rozon also repeated to reporters something his lawyer had raised at the outset of the civil trial: that he was a 'scapegoat' during the #MeToo movement. The trial before Quebec Superior Court Justice Chantal Tremblay is the latest stage in a winding legal battle that began as a class-action lawsuit brought by numerous women calling themselves Les Courageuses. It was converted into individual suits after a 2020 Quebec Court of Appeal ruling. Nine women — Patricia Tulasne, Lyne Charlebois, Anne-Marie Charrette, Annick Charrette, Sophie Moreau, Danie Frenette, Guylaine Courcelles, Mary Sicari, and Martine Roy — filed lawsuits against Rozon. Only one of a series of police complaints against Rozon resulted in a criminal trial. In that case, he was found not guilty on charges of rape and indecent assault connected to events alleged to have taken place in 1980 involving Annick Charette. The prosecution declined to press criminal charges in 13 other complaints. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Global News
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon on stand for 2nd day at civil trial
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon is back on the stand in his own defence at a sexual assault civil trial in Montreal. The Quebec impresario is being sued by nine women for a total of nearly $14 million in damages over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The 70-year-old Rozon took the stand for a second day in the high profile trial, discussing the rise of the comedy empire he founded. He also elaborated on some of his personal relationships during those periods. Rozon has denied the allegations against him and his time on the stand is expected to continue over several days in the coming weeks. All of the women suing him have testified about their experiences and faced cross-examination.
Global News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon begins testimony in sex-assault trial
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon has begun his testimony in his civil trial on allegations of sexual assault. Rozon, 70, testified for nearly an hour at the courthouse in Montreal on Monday afternoon, giving a lengthy recounting of his childhood and the early stages of his career in show business. His testimony is expected to continue over several days in the coming weeks in a Quebec Superior Court civil trial that began in December. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The Quebec impresario is being sued by nine women for a total of nearly $14 million in damages over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. All of the women suing him have testified about their experiences and faced cross-examination. The case has heard from dozens of witnesses, including from seven other women who have also claimed that Rozon sexually abused them. Story continues below advertisement Rozon has always denied the allegations against him, though he did not address the allegations during his testimony on Monday. The civil lawsuit is the latest in a winding legal battle that began as a class action but was converted into individual suits after a 2020 Quebec Court of Appeal ruling. Also in 2020, a Quebec court judge found Rozon not guilty of rape and indecent assault connected to events alleged to have taken place in 1980 involving Annick Charette, who obtained a court order to make her identity public.
CBC
11-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon's sex assault civil trial to resume next week
The sexual assault civil trial of Just for Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon will resume next week after the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal of the scope of questions his lawyers could ask in his defence. In a brief hearing Friday, the province's highest court dismissed Rozon's appeal filed in the midst of his civil trial last month. In March, a Court of Appeal judge said that new provincial legislation limiting the type of questions that can be posed to victims or witnesses could have an impact on his trial. The Civil Code changes — adopted days before the start to Rozon's high-profile trial — restrict questions that suggest an alleged victim's sexual past or their decision to stay in contact with an alleged abuser harms their credibility. But since the initial Court of Appeal ruling, the nine plaintiffs in the case waived their rights under the new Civil Code provision and asked that Rozon's appeal be thrown out. The Appeal Court today said that given the plaintiffs had waived their rights and that Rozon's legal team was not required to abide by the new legislation, the three-member judge panel rejected his appeal. The Quebec impresario is being sued by nine women for a total of nearly $14 million in damages over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
