Mr. Strauss-Kahn arrived shortly before 11 a.m., about a half-hour before his scheduled appearance in State Supreme Court, where he was expected to be released from house arrest — moving the sexual assault case one step closer to dismissal, at least of the most serious charges.
Prosecutors acknowledged that there were significant credibility issues with the hotel housekeeper who accused Mr. Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape her in May; they were not expected to oppose his release.
Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, was considered a strong contender for the French presidency before being accused of sexually assaulting the housekeeper who went to clean his luxury suite at the Sofitel New York. After his arrest, Mr. Strauss-Kahn resigned his position as managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
At 10:45 a.m., Mr. Strauss-Kahn and his wife, Anne Sinclair, left the brick town house at 153 Franklin Street, where he has been under 24-hour confinement, paying $50,000 a month in rent and much more for required security measures. They got into a black Lexus RX350 sport-utility vehicle. Minutes later, they arrived at the courthouse; Mr. Strauss-Kahn, wearing a light blue tie, looked relaxed as he walked past the photographers.
At his last court appearance, in which Mr. Strauss-Kahn pleaded not guilty to charges that included attempted rape and sexual abuse, there was a circuslike atmosphere outside the courthouse; interest in the appearance was so keen that it was televised on the two main French channels, TF1 and France 2, on the domestic cable news channels and on France24, which broadcasts in French, English and Arabic.
Dozens of photographers stood that day shoulder-to-shoulder with about 200 hotel workers who were bused to the scene by the Hotel and Motel Trades Council. The workers yelled “Shame on you!” and held their noses as Mr. Strauss-Kahn walked past them into the courthouse.
On Friday, the atmosphere was more subdued. There were still crowds, but mostly consisting of news crews with a sprinkling of curious passers-by.
By 9:15 a.m., Jean-Marc Beauchet and his wife, Veronique, tourists visiting from western France, had stationed themselves outside the south entrance of the courthouse, cameras in hand.
“Justice is going on,” said Mr. Beauchet, 62. “I hope he’s innocent. This is very bad for the French image.”
The development in court represented a stunning reversal in a case that reshaped the French political landscape and sparked debate about morals, the treatment of women and the American justice system. Now, the case could also be altering the political fortunes of Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, who is just a year and a half into his tenure and was facing his most highly publicized case to date.
Categories: Americas
Is this the justice system US follows? I always thought it to be flaw less. But of course it was my omission.
in any case: my compliments to his wife, who stands with him during these difficult times.