Criminal defense lawyers for ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who stands accused of sexual assault of a hotel housekeeper, will soon make a request for discovery materials from prosecutors in the case. Strauss-Kahn currently faces seven charges, including those related to sexual abuse and criminal sexual acts. He has been charged with the sexual assault of a housekeeper at the Sofitel Hotel in New York.
His defense lawyers have already asked for copies of police reports and statements made by the accuser. They also alleged that Strauss-Kahn’s rights to a fair trial are being impeded because of public disclosure of prejudicial material. His lawyers have also threatened to release information that would undermine the credibility of his accuser.
The threat comes even as New Jersey criminal defense attorneys and the public at large are wondering about the kind of defense that attorneys for the ex-IMF chief will mount. DNA tests have already been conducted, and they have found a match between Strauss-Kahn’s DNA and material that was found on the alleged accuser. His lawyers have hinted that they will be using a consensual sex defense, noting that they had evidence to indicate that intercourse between the two was by mutual consent.
However, these ominous threats to “gravely undermine” the credibility of the hotel employee, an African immigrant, has triggered a debate about whether his attorneys plan to use any information from the victim's past in their case. Any attempts to do so would very likely be rejected in New York, where strict rape-shield laws prevent defense attorneys from using any information from the woman's sexual past against her. However, because this case comes down so much to the word of Dominique Strauss-Kahn against the hotel housekeeper, his attorneys are likely to explore every possible avenue, including investigating the victim's past.
The New Jersey criminal defense lawyers at Helmer Paul Conley and Kasselman represent persons charged with DUI, assault, sex crimes, drug crimes, federal crimes and other crimes across New Jersey.
