French woman stands trial for murder of decades-long abuser

A mother of four children is on trial in France for killing her husband after decades of sexual, physical and psychological abuse starting when she was an adolescent

CHALON-SUR-SAONE, France -- A mother of four children is on trial in France for killing her husband after decades of sexual, physical and psychological abuse starting when she was an adolescent. The case that has drawn broad attention and support for her amid a national reckoning with long-held taboos around domestic abuse. Valerie Bacot, 40, has admitted shooting Daniel Polette dead in 2016. Polette was first her stepfather before becoming her husband and forcing her into prostitution. A verdict is expected on Friday at the courthouse of Chalon-sur-Saone, in central France. The prosecutor requested one year of prison and a four-year suspended sentence, meaning Bacot could walk out of the courthouse free because she has already served time in preventive detention. The prosecutor said he does not consider her a danger to society.