Dominique Strauss-Kahn asks judge to throw out civil suit

Former IMF chief claims diplomatic immunity from lawsuit brought by hotel maid over sexual assault allegation Dominique Strauss-Kahn has asked a New York judge to dismiss a civil suit filed by the hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault. The high-profile criminal case against Strauss-Kahn collapsed last month after prosecutors told the court they could not trust hotel worker Nafissatou Diallo’s testimony beyond reasonable doubt. Strauss-Kahn was forced to resign as managing director of the IMF after he was arrested in May while trying to board a plane to Europe and charged with the sexual assault and attempted rape of Diallo in his suite at the Sofitel hotel in Manhattan. Diallo had filed a civil law suit against the ex-IMF boss before the criminal case collapsed. While the criminal case continued, judge Douglas McKeon gave the one-time French presidential candidate until 26 September to respond. Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers are arguing that their client was immune to such suits under international law. McKeon will now now consider the application. Diallo, a 32-year-old Guinean immigrant, maintains in her civil suit against Strauss-Kahn that she was subjected to a “sadistic” attack. She is seeking unspecified damages from the millionaire economist. DNA evidence of a sexual encounter was recovered by the police, and Strauss-Kahn has argued that he had consensual sex with Diallo. Earlier this month, in his first interview since the trial collapsed, Strauss-Kahn said there was no “aggression or constraint” involved, but admitted he was guilty of a “moral fault” . Strauss-Kahn faces legal woes on both sides of the Atlantic, despite the collapse of the criminal case. This week he is expected to meet Tristane Banon , a French writer who has accused him of attacking her during an interview him in 2003, when he was a senior figure in the opposition Socialist party. He has strenuously denied the accusations. French prosecutors are deciding whether to bring charges against Strauss-Kahn and the meeting is set to take place before a judge. Dominique Strauss-Kahn New York United States France IMF Dominic Rushe guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 26, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.