The mother of a French woman on trial for murdering her husband has testified that her daughter could have escaped the relationship without resorting to killing. Joelle Aubague, mother of Valerie Bacot, told the court that 'there were other solutions' to end the marriage, contradicting her daughter's claim that she killed Daniel Polette to escape 25 years of abuse.
Valerie Bacot, 40, admits shooting Polette in the back of the head in 2016 but argues she acted in self-defence after years of mental, physical and sexual abuse. Her trial has sparked debate in France about how the legal system handles abused women, with over 600,000 people signing a petition calling for charges to be dropped.
On the witness stand, Joelle Aubague rejected her daughter's earlier testimony that she turned a blind eye to the abuse. She claimed she was unaware of the attacks until Polette was jailed for sexually abusing Valerie in 1996. Joelle admitted visiting Polette in prison but said Valerie insisted on coming along, contrary to Valerie's account that she was forced to attend.
Joelle also disputed Valerie's claim that she threw her out of the family home after she became pregnant with Polette's child. She described their relationship as a 'romantic relationship' and said Valerie wrote a letter stating she wanted to 'stay with my man'.
In contrast, Daniel Polette's younger brother, Alain, described his sibling as 'the devil' and a 'monster', supporting Valerie's account of abuse. The trial continues.
