The founder of the internationally renowned Just for Laughs comedy festival has been acquitted of a rape charge after a closely watched legal battle that spanned several years. The verdict, delivered by a Quebec judge this week, brings to a close a case that has sparked widespread attention and debate within Canada’s entertainment and legal communities.
Gilbert Rozon, 70, who established the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal in 1983, had faced allegations stemming from an incident dating back over four decades. The accuser, whose identity is protected under a publication ban, testified that she had been sexually assaulted by Rozon in the 1980s. Rozon denied the allegations throughout the proceedings.
In delivering the verdict, the judge stated that while the testimony was credible, the Crown had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt—a requirement for criminal conviction under Canadian law.
Rozon’s defense team welcomed the decision, stating that it reaffirmed the presumption of innocence and the importance of due process. “This has been an extraordinarily difficult period for Mr. Rozon and his family,” said lead counsel Marie-Anne Poulin. “He is relieved that justice has prevailed.”
The acquittal does not end Rozon’s legal troubles entirely. He still faces several civil lawsuits from other women alleging sexual misconduct. These suits, filed under Quebec’s broader civil code, operate under different evidentiary standards than criminal trials.
Rozon resigned from his role at Just for Laughs in 2017 following a wave of public allegations during the height of the #MeToo movement. The festival has since been sold to new ownership and continues to be a major cultural event, drawing top comedic talent from around the globe.
The accusations against Gilbert Rozon stemmed from a night in 1980 in St-Sauveur, Quebec, when he was 25 years old. The wording of the charges was based on what was in the Criminal Code at the time.
The complainant, who was 20 at the time, testified that Rozon aggressively tried to have sex with her after a night out and that she woke up to find him on top of her and that he raped her.
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