NONE of Kim Kardashian's armed robbers will spend one more day in prison after they held her at gunpoint and stole $10million of jewellery
Lawyers for the seven men and one woman found guilty of targeting the 44-year-old reality TV star confirmed on Saturday that all remained free.
This was despite them all being convicted at the Paris Assizes on Friday, following a high-profile trial lasting just under a month.
'Health and age factors and the fact that they have spent periods in prison already means that none will go back inside a cell,' said a defence counsel source. 'All have returned to their homes.'
It came as lawyers for Ms Kardashian said she was 'satisfied' with the result of the trial, and that 'justice had been served..'
'It's now done, she can move on,' said the American's barrister, Léonor Hennerick, although she confirmed that the vast majority of the swag has never been recovered.
The highest sentence of eight years in prison - with five suspended - was handed down to 69-year-old Aomar Aït Khedache, the ringleader of the gang, who have been referred to as the 'Grandpa Robbers', because most are now in their 60s and 70s.
Known as 'Old Omar', Aït Khedache is deaf and can barely speak following years of ill health and a lifetime of violent crime, including other heists and drugs running.
His defence lawyer, Chloé Arnoux, said: 'He was sentenced to eight years in prison, but he won't go, because he has already served five years in prison.
'He was convicted in 2017 for another sentence concurrently with the latest one handed down, so the remaining three years will be suspended too.'
Ms Arnoux said: 'This decision is also proof that justice can truly redress the situation in ways other than prison.'
Yunnis Abbas, a 72-year-old who wrote a book titled 'I kidnapped Kim Kardashian', received a seven year sentence, with two years suspended, but has already spent enough time inside to go free.
Prosecutors had called for 10 years in prison for the robbers, and trial judge David De Pas had it in his power to imprison them for up to 30 years.
The Judge later admitted 'the sentences were fairly lenient,' but it was almost nine years since the October 2016 heist, and none of the accused was likely to reoffend, he said.
'You didn't hit anyone, you frightened them,' the Judge told the defendants. 'You caused trauma, probably in a lasting way,' but 'rebuilt your lives and taken steps to reintegrate.'
Two of the defendants - both considered informants who allegedly passed on Ms Kardashian's movement to the gang during Paris Fashion Week - were acquitted.
Ms Kardashian lost some of her most treasured possessions in the raid, including a $4million engagement ring from her ex-husband, the rapper Kanye West.
During an emotional testimony to the court last week, she said she had feared she would not survive the raid.
Judge De Pas asked her directly during court questioning: 'Did you think you were going to die, Madam?'
The American replied: 'Absolutely, I was certain I was going to die..'
The vast majority of defendants were imprisoned in January 2017, three months after the robbery.
But then they were released on bail, meaning they were all free when the trial started in April.
Ms Kardashian was not in court on Friday, but her lawyers said she was following proceedings from her home in Los Angeles.
The 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star qualified as an attorney this month, following six years of study.
She said she wanted to 'fight for justice', including for defendants in criminal trials.
Her late father, Robert Kardashian Junior, famoulsy defended actor O.J.Simpson at his trial for murder in 1995.
During the Paris trial, Ms Kardashian accepted an emotional apology from the gang ringleader, Aït Khedache.
In a statement released after the trial, the 44-year-old added that she was 'deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case.'
The SKIMS founder said: 'The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family.
'While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all,' she added in what could be perceived in a nod to the family of the criminals.
She ended with: 'I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system.'
Paris detectives were originally convinced that justice in the Kardashian case would be swift and decisive, but timetabling problems caused by other high-profile trials, including terrorist ones, caused backlogs.
There were also fears that the Kardashian case would destroy the VIP French tourism industry at a time of prestige five-star events, such as the Paris Olympics and Rugby World Cup.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
DoJ seeks single-day sentence for officer who fired into Breonna Taylor's home
The US Department of Justice is recommending a one-day jail sentence and supervised release for the former police officer convicted of violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot in her bedroom by Louisville, Kentucky, police in March 2020. Brett Hankison is set to be sentenced on Monday after being found guilty in November 2024 of one count of civil rights abuse for shooting into Taylor's bedroom window, which was covered by blinds and a blackout curtain, during a narcotics raid on the wrong home. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, which justice department attorneys argued should be drastically reduced. Hankison's bullets pierced the apartment nextdoor, where a couple with a five-year-old child lived. None of his shots hit Taylor, her boyfriend Kenneth Walker, who was in the room, or her neighbors, investigators found. In a 16 July sentencing memorandum, assistant attorney general for civil rights Harmeet K Dhillon and senior counsel Robert J Keenan said that because Hankison did not shoot anyone and has a clean record otherwise, he should only serve three years of supervised release. It also said that Hankison has suffered psychological stress from the trials. The justice department did not respond to a request for comment. The memo said that 'there is no need for a prison sentence to protect the public from defendant or to provide 'just' punishment or deterrence.' The memorandum also argued that he was first tried in 2023, ending in a mistrial, and that he was acquitted of a second charge of violating the neighbors' civil rights. 'The government respects the jury's verdict, which will almost certainly ensure that defendant Hankison never serves as a law enforcement officer again and will also likely ensure that he never legally possesses a firearm again,' the memo said. Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro police department in June 2020, and Taylor's killing fueled the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the United States. If the judge honors the justice department's request, Hankison would serve no jail time, as his booking and initial court appearance would count toward the one day.
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Man was delusional while allegedly falsely imprisoning woman and trying to murder her
A man was suffering from a delusional disorder when he is alleged to have falsely imprisoned a former work colleague in his car - where the door handles had been sealed with tape, thrown hot chilli in her eyes, and tried to murder her after becoming convinced she had deliberately given him an STI, a psychiatrist told his trial on Thursday. It was during the opening of the Central Criminal Court trial of attempted murder accused Jineesh John on Thursday that Brendan Grehan SC, prosecuting, said the consultant psychiatrists for both the State and defence are in agreement "of the core facts" that the defendant was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the offence. Advertisement Jineesh John (43), with an address at The Crescent Building, Park West, Dublin 12 has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a woman at a location in West Dublin on May 21st, 2023. Mr John also pleaded not guilty to making a threat to kill or cause the woman serious harm without lawful excuse, intending her to believe that the said threat would be carried out on the same occasion. He further pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning the woman by intentionally or recklessly detaining her without her consent at the same time. In addition, the defendant pleaded not guilty to producing in a manner likely unlawfully to intimidate another person, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, to wit a hammer on the same date, while committing or appearing to be about to commit an offence of false imprisonment of the woman. Advertisement Fiona Murphy SC, defending, told the jury that the defence of not guilty by reason of insanity under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006 was being sought by the panel. Opening the prosecution's case today, Mr Grehan told the 12 jurors that the issue of insanity had been raised by the defence and the four charges related to a single incident which happened over a 30 minute period between 8:50pm and 9:30pm at an Industrial Estate on May 21st, 2023. Counsel told the jury that the woman in the case came to the public office at a garda station on the morning of May 22nd seeking to speak to officers. He said Detective Garda Tom Balfe interviewed the victim, where she set out how she was falsely imprisoned in the accused's car, that he had threatened to kill her and she believed she was going to be killed by him. Advertisement Mr Grehan said the jury would hear that Mr John and the woman had previously worked together in a health care setting but despite this they were not particularly known to each other. He said they had moved onto different jobs but contact had been re-established. Under the guise that the accused was giving presents to her and was helping her fill out a medical assistance form, Mr Grehan said the woman had agreed to meet Mr John and go with him in his car. Outlining the facts of the case, the lawyer said when the pair got to an industrial estate the accused told her to close her eyes as he had a present for her. He said the woman complied with that request but when she opened her eyes the accused threw hot chilli powder or flakes into her face attempting to blind her in the eyes. Advertisement The woman went to get out of the car but discovered the door handle and the switch activating the window had been duct taped over so it was not usable. Mr Grehan told the jury that the accused had threatened to kill the woman and said he was going to kill her. Mr John then threatened her with a hammer he had in the car whilst she pleaded with him not to kill her, he added. The court heard further evidence will be that the only way the accused agreed to let the woman go was if she was prepared to say on a mobile phone video-recording that she had given him a sexually transmitted disease in 2021. Counsel said the woman had no contact "in any way, shape or form" with Mr John but that the accused had developed "a preoccupation", which she was unaware of. He said the accused made a number of short videos in the car that day, which the jury would see. Advertisement The barrister further stated that the woman was prepared to say anything to be let go and Mr John dropped her back to her home. The woman and her husband later went to the garda station where she handed over her clothing and an investigation ensued. The prosecution barrister went on to tell the court that the woman's clothing was examined and there was a pepper like substance still adhering to parts of them. He said the jury would hear from two consultant psychiatrists on behalf of the defence and the prosecution, who will say the accused was suffering from a mental disorder namely a delusional disorder at the time, which qualifies him for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Detective evidence Giving evidence on Thursday, Detective Garda Thomas Balfe told Mr Grehan that the woman was a health care assistant and worked for different agencies. He said the woman had met the accused, who was also a health care worker, at a care home facility in April or May 2021. The detective said the woman and the accused sometimes worked together in the same shift but she didn't know him well. The woman left the health care facility but the accused continued working there. In October 2022, the detective said the accused had contacted the woman by phone looking for advice about a hospital, after her friend gave the woman's number to Mr John. The woman wasn't sure who the accused was but knew he was a former colleague and gave him advice during a brief telephone call. The woman had offered to help the accused with the application process for the hospital and he rang her again a month later. Around Christmas 2022, the accused called the woman to say he wanted to drop off gifts to her children and he met her when she got off the bus, said Mr Grehan. The witness said the accused arranged to call to the woman's house regarding filling out a church form at 8.30pm on May 21st. The woman got into the car to fill out the form and didn't suspect anything. The accused then started to drive his car before pulling up on a footpath beside an industrial estate. The detective said when the car was pulled over the accused told the woman to close her eyes as he wanted to give her a surprise. When she opened her eyes the accused rubbed a handful of really hot chilli powder in her face, which stung her eyes and lips. The accused also had a hammer in one of his hands. The detective said when the woman tried to get out of the car she could see that everywhere was sealed with black sticky tape, including the door handle. The woman thought the accused was going to kill her and started preaching at him not to do so. The witness said the accused kept saying: "I'm going to kill you, say your last prayer". The accused told her he had never killed before but he was going to kill her. The accused told the woman that she had given him a sexually transmitted disease (STD) to which she told him that she had never slept with him. Mr John said he would only let her go on condition she said she gave him an STD. The accused proceeded to record on his mobile phone the woman saying she gave him an STD in 2021 despite never kissing or having sexual contact with him. He made another video of the woman saying she gave him a STD through kissing before dropping her home. The witness said gardai later found a black-handled knife inside the accused's driver's door as well as a hatchet, a lump hammer and containers containing a chilli like substance. Black duct tape and adhesive tapping were also seized from inside the passenger door as well as a Jerrycan containing flammable petrol. Forensic psychiatrist Ireland Commissioner wins court appeal over dismissal of g... Read More Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks, who was called on behalf of the defence, told Fiona Murphy SC that when he met with the accused in April and October 2024 the accused remained 90 per cent convinced he was deliberately infected with HIV by the victim in the case, despite medical evidence to the contrary. Dr Monks said the accused is suffering from delusionary disorder and depression, which are both mental illnesses. He said the accused's actions were directly driven by delusional thinking in response to the psychotic belief that he had been harmed by the victim. He said Mr John met the three criteria for a mental disorder under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006; namely that he did not know the nature and quality of his act, that he did not know what he was doing was wrong and that he was unable to refrain from committing the act. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven men and five women.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Man who sent Facebook message about committing a campus sexual assault pleads guilty
An American accused of sexually assaulting a fellow Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said 'So I raped you' has pleaded guilty months after being extradited from France to face the allegations. Ian Cleary, 32, who was raised in Silicon Valley before attending Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, had hired a private lawyer to review the evidence as he considered a potential plea. Judge Kevin Hess set an Oct. 20 sentencing date. The two sides proposed a four- to eight-year sentence, which the judge can accept or not. Accuser Shannon Keeler, in interviews with The Associated Press, described her decade-long efforts to persuade authorities to pursue charges, starting hours after she says Cleary, a third-year student, sneaked into her first-year dorm on the eve of winter break. She renewed the quest in 2021, after finding a series of disturbing Facebook messages from his account that said, 'So I raped you.' Keeler faced Cleary in the courtroom Thursday for the first time since the attack.
