Former Christian Dior designer John Galliano arrives at the Paris court house, June 22, 2011.
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AP
(CBS/AP) PARIS - Fashion designer John Galliano was convicted on Thursday of making anti-Semitic and racist remarks at people on two separate occasions at a Paris bar.
The former Christian Dior designer, who didn't attend the announcement of the verdict, was given no prison time. The court imposed a suspended fine of 6,000 euros ($8,400), which means it goes on his criminal record but he does not have to pay it.
He was, however, ordered to pay 16,500 euros ($23,200) in court fees for the complainants - three individuals and five anti-racism associations - plus a symbolic 1 euro ($1.40) in damages to each one.
The Paris court found him guilty of "public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity" stemming from the incidents.
The accusations earlier this year cost Galliano his job at Christian Dior and roiled the fashion world.
Galliano said he had been under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs at the time and couldn't recall the incidents in question.
The judge said the court found the designer had "sufficient awareness of his act despite his addiction and his fragile state." But the court also took into account that he apologized to the plaintiffs during the June trial and noted the "values of tolerance" in his work.
His lawyer, Aurelien Hamelle, called it "a really strong sign from the court."
Asked about Galliano's future plans, he said only that his client is "looking forward to the future" and "will continue to care for himself."
After 15 critically acclaimed and commercially successful years at Dior, the flamboyant Briton's brilliant career flamed out after a couple alleged he accosted them while they were having a drink at Paris' hip La Perle cafe on Feb. 24.
Another woman soon came forward with similar claims about a separate incident in the same cafe. Days later, the British tabloid The Sun posted a video showing a visibly drunk Galliano insulting a fellow cafe client, slurring: "I love Hitler."
As the video went viral, Dior took swift and decisive action against the man it had long treated as icon, sacking Galliano days before the label's fall-winter 2011 runway show in March. Galliano was later also ousted from his eponymous label, which is also owned by Dior's parent company.
At his daylong trial in June, Galliano resembled a broken, crumpled shadow of his once-inflated self.
In extensive and often-moving testimony, Galliano was contrite and humble, telling the three-judge panel he was sorry "for the sadness that this whole affair has caused."
He said he'd done a stint in a rehab clinic in Arizona and was recovering from addictions to alcohol, sleeping pills and barbiturates - habits he blamed on the pressures of the high-stakes fashion industry.
Galliano - a 50-year-old who was born Juan Carlos Galliano to a Spanish mother in the British Iberian enclave of Gibraltar - rejected any suggestion he was fundamentally racist, saying his multi-cultural-infused work spoke for itself.
Though I don't defend his nasty comments I am always amazed that the French Republic monitors speech; there is no free speech in France. The republic will tell you what is okay or not! What hypocrisy!! We in America are blessed with free speech. It is sad that anyone feels the need to yell profanities and racist comments; it actually is vile. Yet, we are blessed in our country with certain freedoms. And the French had their revolution for what???
The next time someone out there feels like dissing America just remember that in France you can be held criminally liable for "public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity". Now how utterly absurd is that? We take free speech for granted. Not very many places have the freedoms that we have. Enjoy them.
Good point. Whenever my children travel to foreign countries, I remind them that the laws are different in other countries. Begore my younger son travelled to Turkey, we spoke about how you can be arrested and held without a trial for indefinite or extended periods of time. Singapore has the death penalty for smuggling drugs.
It is not neccesarily that the laws of other countries are wrong, it is a matter of obeying their laws when in their countries. And yes, not every country has "freedom of speech" as we know it.
This guy might be a loser, but the idea that insults can be criminal is insane. Guess this means the Westboro Baptist Church won't be opening a European branch anytime soon.
The expression "Loose lips sinks ships" cetainly applies here. For all we know, John Galliano could be the nicest guy in the world but his mouth certainly got him into trouble.
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It is not neccesarily that the laws of other countries are wrong, it is a matter of obeying their laws when in their countries. And yes, not every country has "freedom of speech" as we know it.