Autour de Claudine Longet

 

Elle doit en partie sa renommée au fait d'avoir épousé le chanteur américain Andy Williams, rencontré alors qu'elle était danseuse aux Folies Bergère à Las Vegas. Claudine Longet participe aux émissions de variété d'Andy Williams et obtient des rôles dans quelques séries télévisées américaines des années 1960, avant d'apparaître aux côtés de Peter Sellers dans le film La Party, réalisé en 1968 par Blake Edwards.

Elle y interprète la chanson Nothing to Lose d'Henry Mancini. Longet a enregistré cinq albums composés de reprises pour A&M Records entre 1967 et 1970, puis deux albums pour Barnaby, le label d'Andy Williams.

Williams et Longet ont eu trois enfants durant leur mariage, auquel un divorce met fin en 1975. Claudine Longet a été arrêtée et inculpée le 21 mars 1976 suite au décès par arme à feu à Aspen dans le Colorado de son compagnon, le champion de ski alpin Vladimir Sabich. Lors du procès elle a affirmé que le coup de feu était parti accidentellement alors que Sabich lui expliquait le maniement de l'arme. Williams a publiquement soutenu Claudine Longet durant le procès, l'escortant même au tribunal. Elle a été condamnée à trente jours de prison pour homicide involontaire, peine qu'elle a effectuée après des vacances passées avec son avocat, Ron Austin.

La chanson Claudine inspirée à Mick Jagger par ces événements devait paraître sur l'album Emotional Rescue des Rolling Stones, mais a été écartée avant la commercialisation du disque. Elle est uniquement disponible sur quelques albums pirates. Claudine Longet et Ron Austin se sont mariés en 1986 et résident toujours à Aspen.

Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail (again)
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine

Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail (again)
She only does it at weekends
Claudine
Oh, Claudine

Now only Spider knows for sure
But he ain't talkin' about it any more
Is he, Claudine?

There's blood in the chalet
And blood in the snow
(She)Washed her hands of the whole damn show
The best thing you could do, Claudine

Shot him once right through the head
Shot him twice right through the chest
The judge says (ruled) it was an accident
Claudine
Accidents will happen
(In the best homes)

And Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine

(Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine) [additional chorus]

I'll tell you something
Now Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine

Tell you one more
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Huh Claudine?

Oh Claudine...

Oooo ...
What about the children, baby?
Poor, poor children

Now I threaten my wife with a gun
I always leave the safety on
I recommend it
Claudine

Now she pistol whipped me once or twice
But she never tried to take my life
(What do you think about that)
Claudine

The prettiest girl I ever seen
I saw you on the movie screen
Hope you don't try to make a sacrifice of me
Claudine
(Don't get trigger happy with me)
Don't wave a gun at me
(Claudine)

I said Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine

I said Claudine's back in jail again
Claudine's back in jail again
She only does it at weekends
Claudine

Keith, will you put that weapon down?

Oh Claudine

Oh Claudine

March 21 was cold and gray. Claudine had set out for the slopes, but then changed her mind and went to the Center Bar, where she spent the afternoon sipping white wine. Around 4:00 she drove home where Spider, who had been skiing, returned a short while later. As Spider got ready for a shower and stripped down to his blue thermal underwear, Claudine approached him with a .22-caliber imitation Lüger pistol, which she later claimed to have come across just that morning while putting away some sweaters. She was asking him how to use it, how to protect herself and her children when he was away, when all of a sudden her finger slipped on the trigger and bang bang boom boom, a tragic accident. Or was it?
Not everyone bought Claudine's slippery-finger story. Some locals considered Claudine to be an intruder in Aspen, and a spoiled brat to boot. The couple's four-year relationship was said to be rocky, and Claudine's jealous episodes in public had raised eyebrows around town. Claudine and her three children were getting to be too much for Spider, and he had supposedly given them a deadline to find other accommodations. Claudine did have some supporters in Aspen, like John and Annie Denver with whom she stayed the night after the shooting, but public sentiment ran largely against her. Like the sirens of mythology, Claudine was seen as an enchantress who had bewitched and then doomed the hapless Spider.

Claudine on trial revealed, if not the circumstances surrounding the shooting, certainly the duplicity of her nature, and indeed the inherent contradiction and guile of the female animal at its most deadly. With mournful eyes and choking back tears, a pale and trembling Claudine told the jury that "we were probably everything that a man and a woman should be to each other, we loved each other so much. He was my best friend." Claudine saw herself as a victim, guilty only of mishandling a loaded gun. Contrast this with testimony of the glass-hurling and ski-wielding Claudine, lashing out at Spider in public. Innocent and mercenary, sweet yet cunning, the prize and the curse.

A detective who was with Claudine at the hospital that night claimed that her initial story was that she had been joking with Spider, and just before the gun went off had said playfully, "Bang, bang. Boom, boom." At the trial, however, Claudine denied this and said she knew better than to play with a loaded gun, her final words to Spider instead: "You are sure it won't fire?" Another famous disputed quote was by ex-husband Andy, who had rushed to Claudine's side after the accident. He was overheard to have remarked, "She's always been a reckless chick who drives too fast, skis too fast and takes too many risks." Andy on the witness stand spoke of Claudine as gentle and loving mother of their three children.

A diary which had been illegally seized was not admitted into evidence, nor were blood tests rumored to have shown traces of cocaine. The diary ignited a hotbed of speculation outside the courtroom, however. Prosecutor and District Attorney Frank Tucker claimed it could blow the lid off the case, as well as pull the covers down on a long list of Hollywood heavyweights.

After less than four hours of testimony and four hours of deliberation, the jury found Claudine Longet guilty only of criminal negligence. She was sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years probation. Claudine chose not to appeal and served her time in April, 1977 in the Pitkin County jail. True to form, Claudine shortly thereafter became romantically linked with her defense lawyer, Ron Austin. The diary was returned to Claudine, who threw it in the fire.