Strauss-Kahn pleads not guilty

US: Fallen IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Monday pleaded not guilty to attempted rape, setting up a fierce New York courtroom showdown with his accuser.

Asked how he pleaded to seven counts of sex crimes, the former head of the world lender, once a top contender for president of France, stood before Judge Michael Obus and more than 100 journalists to say: “Not guilty.”

Strauss-Kahn, 62, then left with his wife and two burly bodyguards assigned to enforce his house arrest.

Outside the New York State Supreme Court, a lawyer for the Sofitel hotel maid accusing Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape her said she would take the stand during the trial.

From the courthouse steps he told a huge crowd of journalists that the alleged sexual assault in Strauss-Kahn’s Sofitel luxury suite May 14 had left her “traumatized.”

“She’s going to come to the courthouse, she’s going to tell the truth. What she wants is justice,” lawyer Kenneth Thompson told reporters.

“The victim wants you to know that all of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s power, money, and influence throughout the world will not keep the truth about what he did to her in that hotel room from coming out.”

A group of maids wearing their work uniforms demonstrated at the court, booing Strauss-Kahn as he arrived and chanting “Shame on you!” Their cries were audible from the 13th-floor courtroom where his seven minute arraignment hearing unfolded.

“We are here to support our co-worker,” said Doris Codie, a 46-year-old maid who has worked for 15 years at Manhattan’s Pierre Hotel, among those bused in by their union.

The next court hearing was set for July 18 and a trial could be months away. While the maid is set to be the main prosecution witness, Strauss-Kahn can choose not to testify.

He faces a likely maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted.

Defense lawyers led by high-profile attorney Benjamin Brafman are strongly indicating they will not challenge the assertion that a sexual encounter took place.

This could be in recognition of apparently strong physical evidence collected by police, including, according to leaked reports, semen on the maid’s shirt.

Instead, Brafman could argue that sex was consensual and that prosecutors cannot prove force was used.

“It will be clear that there was no element of forcible compulsion in this case whatsoever. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply not credible,” Brafman told reporters outside the court building Monday. New York, Tuesday, AFP