New York – Former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn walked out of court free on bail Friday after prosecutors said an extensive background investigation of the hotel housekeeper gave them pause.
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Strauss-Kahn had been under pricey house arrest for weeks in a ritzy Manhattan loft on $6 million in cash and bond. The charges, which include attempted rape, have not been reduced, but the move signals that prosecutors do not believe the accusations are as ironclad as they once seemed.
“It is a great relief,” said Strauss-Kahn’s attorney, William Taylor, adding that the case underscores “how easy it is for people to be charged with serious crimes and for there to be a rush to judgment.”
“It is so important in this country that people, especially the media, refrain from judgment until the facts are all in,” he said.
The accuser’s attorney did not back down on the seriousness of the charges.
He referred to media reports that his client was involved with a drug dealer, calling them lies.
Strauss-Kahn arrived at the courthouse Friday morning in a Lexus SUV and strode confidently up the granite steps with his wife, French journalist Anne Sinclair, at his side. He wore a dark gray suit, and she a white jacket.
After the hearing, he walked slowly out of the courthouse with his arm on her shoulder, smiling slightly at the throng gathered outside.
His passport remained surrendered, and he will not yet be allowed to leave the country. His other attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said Strauss-Kahn would be free to travel within the United States.
Wow. But I’m afraid his career is over anyway, even if he won’t be found guilty.
he should go back were he came from money buys allot of things
Amazing how a career can fall in one swoop
The American Justice system needs to be retooled.
The whole concept of innocent until proven guilty is a shame. The Perp walk of shame needs to be eliminated.
We’ve become like a bunch of savages fed by the likes of the New York Post…
Its hard to know what happened, because on the one hand he has enough money to manipulate and hush people up, on the other hand it’s also quite possible that he was stitched up by the accuser, either way as a society we are way too quick to judge people.
Once all facts are known Cyrus Vance Jr., New York County District Attorney, the son of Cyrus Vance, who served as Secretary of the Army under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Johnson, then Secretary of State to President Jimmy Carter.
should be put to task.
His overzealous prosecution of a case that appears to be without merit, was more likely motivated by political ambition rather than proper investigative conduct. While Strauss-Kahn is no Tzaddik, Cyrus Vance Jr irresponsible conduct, has blemished and ruined the reputation of what appears to be an innocent man.
Whatever the case was it won’thelp him politicallyy, question is if he’ll serve a prison sentence, A new york governor was forced out because of committing what he did
One wonders why this pro-Israel candidate for prime minister of France was warned, before he left, to be very careful with regard to his philandering ways, and that the U.S. system will be very strict. Was he set up? Did so many of us, even people in our community, rush to judgement, feeding on the salacious rumors fed to us by media, perhaps from leaks from the prosecutor’s office? Why didn’t we be “dan le’kaf zechus,” and why won’t be anonymous posters here be “dan le’kaf zechus,” a fellow Yid (who is admittedly a mummar l’tei’avon, similar to the prototypical person discussed in the first pages of Chullin, which we are learning in Daf Yomi this week)?
Remarkable! Ben Brafman could $10,000 an hour, and it would be worth every penny.
Cyrus Vance Junior is a big LOSER!
I smell a major lawsuit in the making against the DA, NYPD, NYC, and others.
Ben Braufman will bring the DA to his knees.
Iy”h a mapolah to my ex’s lies! Down with the DA!
It’s interesting…you can’t punish someone without proving your case beyond a reasonable doubt, and rightfully so, but you can make someone’s life a living hell and ruin him forever just based on he said/she said.
Its crazy how a woman could just make up a Story about someone and have him locked up for years, and always be a winner. This system calls for immeiate change.
So he still consorted with a prutza and money changed hands. Nothing to be proud of even if this good for nothing framed her as she has apparently framed others.