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DISGRACED EX-IMF CHIEF Dominique Strauss-Kahn said prosecutors violated the legal principle of being innocent until proven guilty in the sex scandal that brought him down.
Strauss-Kahn told CNN he was still angry with the US justice system over his treatment in 2011 when he was paraded before TV cameras in New York in handcuffs, on charges of sexual assault that were later dropped.
“I think it is a terrible thing, frankly,” he said of his treatment by the United States during his May 2011 arrest after a maid at a posh hotel where he was staying accused him of sexual assaulting her.
“The problem is that it’s a moment where in all European, American society you are supposed to be innocent, you are supposed to be innocent until you are convicted,” he said.
He added:
So what happens is you are just shown to everybody as if you were a criminal at the moment where nobody knows if it is true or not. Maybe you are a criminal and maybe you are not. But it will be proved later on.
Prosecutors eventually dropped the charges against the Frenchman because they said they doubted the credibility of the accuser, Nafissatou Diallo.
In December of last year they reached an undisclosed financial settlement to end a parallel civil case.
But before that, in the whirlwind fallout right after his arrest, Strauss-Kahn resigned as head of the International Monetary Fund. The scandal also crushed his aspirations to run for the French presidency in 2012.
Strauss-Kahn said that at the time of his arrest he was angry because he did not know what was going on.
“I was just understanding that something was going on that I did not control,” he said.
CNN broadcast an excerpt of a longer interview that is to air fully on Wednesday.
The network said it was Strauss-Kahn’s first English-language interview since the case hit the headlines in New York two years ago.
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Why would you pay to settle the civil suit if you’re innocent of the claims against you?
To end a long, destructive legal battle that was front page news.
I guess it’s a matter of principle.
People (and insurance companies) pay to settle when they haven’t done anything wrong all the time. Sometimes for a nominal amount – the “nuisance value”. Sometimes for more, if there are good reasons to keep it out of the public eye. And there’s always a risk of a deranged judge ruling against you. Or you might settle because you’re in the wrong, even if you’re not quite as far in the wrong as the other person alleges.
DSK’s case is very odd, though. The story was already common knowledge. He denies doing anything wrong whatsoever, and he says he wants to clear his name. He’s very rich and could well afford to say, “This is a battle worth fighting.” He could keep going until he’s vindicated in court, or the plaintiff simply drops the case.
But DSK does not do this. Instead, he hands over the dosh and gives interviews to glossy magazines. You can’t really blame people for drawing their own conclusions.
Good old DSK.
Head of The International Monetary Fund and at the time Future President Of France.
Tries to force himself on a chamber maid and then pays her off?
Orgies and Prostitutes?
This shows the caliber of people that they allow run the IMF and a country these days.
My apologies for telling the truth.
Sure why bother with a criminal justice system when we have you to tell us all the truth?
Harry, the truth will always out!
More like criminal’s justice system these days Chuck.
Don’t be so naive…I’m sure he never even touched that maid…it’s all dirty politics. Think about it..the head of IMF, he has a plans to run for president and because he had nothing better to do he assaults some maid..c’mon get a grip.. It was a set up of the highest order.
How do you explain his semen ending up on her dress ???
There is absolutely no doubt there was sexual encounter between them the only question is was it consensual ?
What about the French journalist allegations of attempted rape ?
Or his involvement in a prostitutuon ring on France and America ?
Dsk is almost the French berlusconi !
I think you will find he did admit to ‘contact’. The dispute was whether it was consensual. Either way he could hardly be described as a classy guy and thats before we look at his previous indiscretions.
You shouldn’t be able to name someone in a court case until they are proven guilty. The same protection should be given to the defendants identity that is given to the plaintiffs . Career at imf and potential french presidency ruined. Policy of name and shame should be also brought in.
If you kept it in your trousers you wouldn’t have had a problem. You were too mean to pay for it, so you victimised a poor hotel maid instead. You tried to run! You tried to escape abusing diplomatic immunity which was withdrawn from you. You were treated exactly like anyone else who is arrested on the US. You wanted special treatment. After all you were
you! You deserved special treatment. If you sorted your huge ego and delusions of entitlement life would be easier for you. Divorce settlement sorted with the former Mrs. SK?
The burden of proof is a lot lower in a civil case, so there’s a good chance he’d have lost it even if he was innocent.
Did i miss the trial for bin laden?
Or to get off the hook.
“The problem is that it’s a moment where in all European, American society you are supposed to be innocent, you are supposed to be innocent until you are convicted,” ”
Maybe he should have a word with Obama re Guantanomo – or does he know of its existence
I think he was guilty, but the room maid was too poore to prove it. It is not a secret, that money rules,
@Inga. The woman’s story was unable to stand basic scrutiny. I have no doubt DSK is a womaniser, possibly a deviant, but rich or poor, her story was partially fabricated.
Ha ha of course he is guilty why the hell would he pay her off with nearly a million pound sterling
The guy got off way to easy. Money talks….
Hmmmm. Looking very innocent alright!!
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