Singer faces Vilnius murder count
Cantat says his former girlfriend's death was a tragic accident
French rock star Bertrand Cantat has gone on trial in Lithuania accused of murdering his girlfriend, French actress Marie Trintignant.
Mr Cantat was arrested by police in Lithuania last July after the actress was admitted to hospital in the capital, Vilnius, with severe head injuries.
Ms Trintignant fell into a coma and died five days later after she had been flown back to her native France.
Doctors performed two operations on her brain but were unable to save her.
Tragic end to 'passionate affair'
If found guilty of murder by a court in Vilnius, Mr Cantat faces up to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors said they would "almost certainly" request the case be heard behind closed doors.
"We are concerned about revelations about the private lives of Bertrand Cantat and especially Marie Trintignant, who cannot defend herself," prosecutor Ramutis Jancevicius told news agency AFP.
France hooked
France has been gripped by the story.
The couple were two of France's most well-known celebrities.
Marie Trintignant had been filming in Lithuania
The 41-year-old actress had appeared in 40 films and plays and was the daughter of legendary French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, who starred with Brigitte Bardot in And God Created Woman.
Mr Cantat, 39, is lead singer with the best-selling rock band Noir Desir (Black Desire).
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Mr Cantat, who is also famous for his outspoken comments against racism and globalisation, denies the charge.
He says Ms Trintignant's death was a tragic accident.
National mourning
Ms Trintignant had been in Lithuania filming a television movie about the writer Colette, directed by her mother Nadine Trintignant.
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Her death caused national mourning in France. Her funeral at the renowned Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris was attended by former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and French star Catherine Deneuve.
Record sales by Noir Desir have shot up since the case hit the headlines. ![]()