News / Europe

French Ex-President Chirac's Trial to Restart in September

Former French President Jacques Chirac (file photo)
Former French President Jacques Chirac (file photo)
TEXT SIZE - +

A Paris court says the long-delayed trial of former French president Jacques Chirac on corruption charges will resume September 5.

Chirac is accused of misusing public funds while serving as the mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995.  He allegedly used the money to pay friends and political allies for non-existent jobs.  His nine co-defendants are accused of benefiting from the alleged scheme.  

The trial was suspended in March, after defense lawyers argued some charges were too old to be admissible.  Their challenge was rejected by the French Constitutional Court.

Chirac has denied any wrongdoing.  If convicted, the 78-year-old former politician faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $210,000.

He was immune from prosecution while president from 1995 to 2007.

Chirac will be the first French former head of state to go on trial since France's Nazi-era leader, Marshal Petain, was exiled for treason after World War II.

You May Like

Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes

Day earlier US President Barack Obama justified 'constrained' drone usage to save lives More

Study Identifies Risks of Human Spread of H7N9 Bird Flu

Study suggest that international measures to contain the H7N9 influenza, in the event of severe outbreak, will need to be targeted in Asia More

Violence Continues in Conakry Over Upcoming Elections

Opposition has called for boycott of elections More

Video Syria's Civil War Fuels Violence in Iraq

Analysts say al-Qaida-linked militants are flowing back and forth from both countries More

Video Star Trek Influence Lives Long and Prospers

As new movie thrills, many are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science and technology More

OECD: Developing Green Cities Key to Sustainable Future

OECD suggests strategies to mitigate rapid growth, industrialization in urban centers, which produce about two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Volunteers Help Revive LA's Concrete River

The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But as Mike O'Sullivan reports, the river is slowly being restored with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up.