Mayor of French town apologizes for his comments downplaying mass rape case

MAZAN, France (AP) — The mayor of a French town making headlines for the trial of dozens of men accused of rapes that occurred there for almost a decade has apologized for comments that appeared to downplay the case. Louis Bonnet, the mayor of Mazan in southern France, said he understands his remarks to the BBC were shocking. The main suspect told the court this week that he drugged his wife for nearly 10 years and invited dozens of men to rape her as she lay defenseless. Bonnet told the BBC that the case could have been far more serious.