FRANCE: Lawyer acting for French writer Tristane Banon says a formal complaint alleging attempted rape has been filed against former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Record ID: 561082

  • Title: FRANCE: Lawyer acting for French writer Tristane Banon says a formal complaint alleging attempted rape has been filed against former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn
  • Date: 6th July 2011
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 5, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIORS OF OFFICES OF LAWYER DAVID KOUBBI, ACTING FOR WRITER TRISTANE BANON VARIOUS OF KOUBBI EMERGING VARIOUS OF KOUBBI TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAWYER DAVID KOUBBI SAYING "The complaint was filed against Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn for attempted rape, events of a particular violence and gravity. I absolutely don't wish to make of this case a political one. I would like to specify that. However, if some politicians try, by not telling the truth, and when I say truth, I mean what they knew to be true, if some politicians try to get in the way of the defense of Ms Tristane Banon, they will then be considered as adversaries. This complaint was sent today to the general prosecutor of the Paris High Court. It will be investigated and I want to point out that in the case that Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn does not appear in front of an assizes court, we would have to draw the consequences about how this kind of matter is dealt with in France. I have finished." JOURNALISTS KOUBBI ENTERING HIS OFFICE VARIOUS OF WRITER TRISTANE BANON EMERGING FROM KOUBBI'S OFFICE VARIOUS OF BANON WALKING OFF BANON ENTERING CAR CAR LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 21st July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France, France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA6294WRAXQPNMC0IZM6LRLPYT9
  • Story Text: The laywer acting for French writer Tristane Banon on Tuesday (July 5) filed a formal complaint alleging attempted rape against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
    David Koubbi, who is acting for Banon, told reporters in front of his office that the formal complaint would be investigated following its receipt by a Paris criminal court on Thursday.
    "The complaint was filed against Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn for attempted rape, events of a particular violence and gravity. I absolutely don't wish to make of this case a political one. I would like to specify that. However, if some politicians try, by not telling the truth, and when I say truth, I mean what they knew to be true, if some politicians try to get in the way of the defense of Ms Tristane Banon, they will then be considered as adversaries," he said.
    The statement ended weeks of speculation over whether Banon would make formal legal moves against Strauss Kahn, whom she alleges tried to assault her in 2003, when she was 22.
    Her complaint will be examined by a judge who, as a matter of course, would question both Banon and Strauss-Kahn, sending investigators to the United States if necessary, before deciding to either place the Frenchman under investigation or dismiss the case.
    Signs that the U.S. charges are unravelling have set off a round of political sparring that threatens to poison the run-up to an April 2012 presidential election that Strauss-Kahn had been tipped to win for the left prior to his arrest in New York on suspicion of assaulting a New York hotel chambermaid.
    French left-wingers, furious their star candidate has been all but knocked out of the election race, dismissed the Banon complaint as more evidence that Strauss-Kahn's foes are determined to bring him down.
    The Banon case may fizzle out after a preliminary inquiry, unless the judge deems there is tangible evidence of an attempted sexual assault. Given the years that have lapsed since the alleged incident, there could be little aside witnesses' conflicting statements to hold up a court case.
    Regardless of the outcome, opinion polls since the weekend suggest that more than half of French voters think Strauss-Kahn's political career is already over.
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