Court officials allowed a Frenchwoman, who confessed to killing a man who she said abused her for nearly two decades, to go free on Friday evening. Many of the public onlookers who have been supporting her in France erupted into applause when the decision was handed down.
Authorities sentenced Valerie Bacot to four years in prison, three of which have been suspended, for the death of Daniel Polette in 2016.
Bacot previously admitted to the murder of Daniel Polette in 2016 who court documents state raped her when she was only 12 or 13 years old. During that time, Polette was still the boyfriend of Bacot's mother. He later became Bacot's husband, with who she had four children. She referred to him as her stepfather before they got married.
Nathalie Tomasini, Bacot's lawyer, announced her client was released after spending a year in jail.
Set Free
Outside the courtroom, Bacot expressed her gratitude to the court and all of the people who supported her throughout her ordeal. She said her case was the beginning of a movement that should affect other women and victims of other mistreatments. Despite being set free, Bacot did not feel relieved, rather, she said she was "emptied mentally and physically."
Tomasini said justice was served for her client and that they were grateful to the decision of the court. She said Bacot would be able to go back home to her children after being set free and that it was a huge victory for them, CNN reported.
After hearing the sentence in court on Friday, Bacot fainted due to shock and relief because she was going to be free. If the court did not rule for her freedom, she would have been in jail for life for shooting Polette dead.
Bacot said her experience with abuse from her husband was one where her mother and French police turned a blind eye to. Her children later tried to report the abuse against their mother to the gendarmerie, but they were only forced away.
Decades of Abuse
France has one of the highest rates of femicide, which is the murder of a woman by a current or former partner, in Europe. Bacot's case highlights the country's continued failure to address and deal with widespread domestic abuse against women. This year, authorities have recorded at least 55 women losing their lives in murder cases where the suspects were current or former partners in France, The Guardian reported.
During their time together, Bacot said Polette physically abused her with slaps, kicks, and punches. She said he would also strangle her from time to time. She told the court she was afraid because she felt she would die every single day because of her husband's actions.
In a book published last month, "Tout le monde savait," which translates to "Everyone Knew," Bacot recounted her experiences with Polette. The book detailed her continued struggles starting at the age of 12 when she was coerced to have sex with her stepfather. Police arrested Polette and imprisoned him for sexual assault against Bacot. However, officials allowed the suspect to go home after three years, who then resumed the abuse, with the victim's mother ignoring the issue, the New York Times reported.
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