Fashion designer John Galliano went on trial in Paris for making anti-Semitic and racist remarks to patrons at a local cafe.
Galliano arrived at the courthouse Wednesday afternoon. He could face up to six months in prison and a fine of about $32,000 on charges of "public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity."
In February, Galliano was videotaped making racist remarks at La Perle bar; a similar incident reportedly occurred in October. After the video of Galliano surfaced showing him shouting "I love Hitler," he was fired March 1 from his job as head designer at Christian Dior.
Since being fired from Dior, Galliano has been in treatment for alcohol and prescription drug abuse, according to reports. He has said he is not an anti-Semite and that he made his rants under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He also apologized for his statements.
via jta.org
Aurelien Hamelle, Galliano's lawyer insists that Galliano's addiction to alcohol and pills was the cause of the hateful rant. "It's clear that John Galliano was ill when this happened. He had a triple addiction to alcohol, benzodiazepine (Valium) and sleeping pills. The combined effect of these drugs left him in a state of complete and utter abandon... When he was in that state he had no way of knowing or remembering what he said. Every witness at the cafe has said he was in an abnormal condition."
Hamelle claims that his client has maintained sobriety for three months and is in the process of "rebuilding himself."
