Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
So, now that Dominique Strauss-Kahn's life, career, reputation, dignity and presumably marriage have been completely destroyed; and now that the world and particularly France has spent considerably more hours and anguish contemplating the perversity of French sexual mores than it has, say, considering the hearings of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, it seems the case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn is collapsing.
Since her initial allegation on May 14, the accuser has repeatedly lied, one of the law enforcement officials said.
Senior prosecutors met with lawyers for Mr. Strauss-Kahn on Thursday and provided details about their findings, and the parties are discussing whether to dismiss the felony charges. Among the discoveries, one of the officials said, are issues involving the asylum application of the 32-year-old housekeeper, who is Guinean, and possible links to criminal activities, including drug dealing and money laundering.
We have two possibilities. One: DSK was the victim of a scamming petty criminal or a complex plot, just as his defenders (who we excoriated) suggested from the first; and New York City's finest overzealous prosecutors rushed right into the trap, followed lemming-like by the baying, bloodthirsty international media--in response to which the words, "Goodness, our apologies Mr. Strauss-Kahn, we hope you'll find your next stay in Manhattan more enjoyable" really don't seem adequate.
Or two, he's guilty as Original Sin but still rich and powerful, and thus his expensive lawyers have managed so completely to smear and discredit the chambermaid he raped that he's going to get away with it, which really doesn't seem adequate.
Neither hypothesis illumes our justice system in a halo, and I can't think of a third.
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May '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
3. My friend's scenario: DSK offered the maid money for sex. She agreed. Then, in media res, he upped the ante to something she didn't want to do. He forced her, thinking she was so compromised she couldn't go to the police. She went to the police with physical evidence but a story that didn't add up.
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
While women in trouble with the law can be sexually assaulted just as easily as women who are pure as the driven snow, this is an amazing twist to behold.
But whatever the real situation is, I do think that the perp walk needs to go. I prefer a system that really puts teeth to that whole "innocent until proven guilty" and handcuffing someone and parading them in front of cameras does not fit with our ideals.
Jul '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
The Gray Lady stands firmly with the French elite. Surprise. Hmmm. Figaro is quoting the New York Times and has some more detail en français, ici.
Aug '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Or two, he's guilty as Original Sin but still rich and powerful, and thus his expensive lawyers have managed so completely to smear and discredit the chambermaid he raped that he's going to get away with it, which really doesn't seem adequate.
Neither hypothesis illumes our justice system in a halo, and I can't think of a third.
I can think of a third. Sort of.
Maybe he did rape her, but her other shady dealings render her an unbelievable witness, even without much help from fancypants lawyers.
In which case, her not being taken seriously is sad, but not unexpected.
Jan '11
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
I read nothing in the NYT article regarding the evidence or facts of the sexual assault charge, just problems with the victim's peripheral stories. Until the case is brought back before a judge I will assume the Times is shilling for DSK.
May '11
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
I dunno. So far, this doesn't pass the smell test. What I mean to say is, he is as innocent as OJ.
Jul '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
I've always thought the maid's story was questionable.
Dec '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
Note the following:
Among the discoveries, one of the officials said, are issues involving the asylum application of the 32-year-old housekeeper, who is Guinean, and possible links to criminal activities, including drug dealing and money laundering.
None of these have to do with the claim itself and could have easily been uncovered by a private investigator.
This is the advantage to going after lower-class people. They often have issues with their past and can be intimidated or silenced.
It does say "law enforcement officials", so I assume these sources are actually the police or prosecutors, but it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the defense to try to leak this and have a friendly reporter fudge where the information came from.
This all feels very Clintonian.
May '11
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
His semen was on her (or in her?)
He fled to the airport in a panic.
Witnesses say she was distraught.
And anything else matters?
There is only one way this can result in his acquittal and that's if his semen was on her by invitation, and that will be his word against hers. If the prosecutor decides to not prosecute, it will be a travesty.
My prediction? Judge will modify the terms of the bail and he will flee to France where he will be remain until he is elected and gets de facto immunity as head of state. I hope the woman will at least be able to sue him in civil court.
Oct '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
Where he will go is a given. Follow that happens to the maid in future.
Jan '11
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
When the story first broke, I thought it was a fishy. The story pretty much claimed that DSK was lurking, naked, and jumped out of nowhere to assault a woman whom he likely hadn't seen ahead of time. What if it was a grandmother? What if it was a security guard? That just didn't make sense. Had to be more to the story.
The original story may still win up as the verdict, but I think it reinforces the caution: first reports are always wrong.
Mar '11
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
Connections to illegal drugs? That could be anything from her being the biggest cocaine distributor on the East Coast to her boyfriend's brother's business partner being busted for having a suspicious quantity of cold medication.
Money laundering? Has anybody reading this ever hired the neighbor kid to cut the lawn? Busted! (Well, not really, but then again, it doesn't take much more than that.)
If they dismiss or reduce the charges, they are going to have to walk this back for me. How did she get him to beat feet to the airport without his cell-phone? He did everything he needed to do to look guilty. If it was consensual, why the panic?
On the other hand, if it was consensual, and it was all part of a political sting to pull him down, the private investigators combing over the so-called victim's life ought to be able to come up with better poo to fling. And his behavior would seem to indicate that he isn't bright enough to run an ice cream stand, let alone France.
Mar '11
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
It does sound like she is significantly less than the ideal victim, though. 100 grand in a bank account is definitely something that needs investigation. In a trial, it would come down to he-said-she-said and there's no reason to believe anything either one has to say.
Sep '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
What doesn't pass the smell test to me is that it's her credibility as an accuser that's being focused on, not her assertion of rape. Yet there is actual physical evidence of a sex act and circumstantial evidence of DSK feeling guilty of something (fleeing, leaving stuff at the hotel). I knew immediately that something was up with the Duke Lacrosse case because there was no physical evidence of the accusation and because the responding police officer did not believe the accuser, something I don't think would happen in Durham today: ignoring a poor black woman's claim of being raped by a gang of rich white Duke students. Lying about the rape if she is part of such criminal activity as the report describes is amazingly dumb. We'll just have to see, but I'm dubious of these sensationalism in the news reports.
Jul '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
I remind us all again... This is what the NY Times is writing, which in itself has no value.
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
That falls under the penumbra of hypothesis two.
Oct '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
It seems to me that what's needed is not French sexual mores, but French sexual lesses.
Jul '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
Look for more down-the-nose hauteur about Anglo-Saxon justice from cheese-eating surrender monkeys.
Jul '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
Jerry Carroll: Look for more down-the-nose hauteur about Anglo-Saxon justice from cheese-eating surrender monkeys. · Jul 1 at 9:48am
You still haven't forgiven them for that Maginot Line kerfuffle, have you? I'm going to guess that you avoid Vichy water, too.
Oct '10
Re: Sorry For the Nuisance, Dominique!
From the horrific opening fly-by of Oradour-sur-Glane to the end of the 11th DVD, there's very little about The World at War that's funny... with the notable exception of Sir Lawrence Olivier's rapier-witty reading of the material covering the Maginot Line. Hysterical, and priceless.