Discrepancies, a Potential Alibi and Early Tweets in Dominique Strauss-Khan Case

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Mon May 16, 2011 at 06:02:26 PM EST
Tags: Dominique Strauss-Kahn (all tags)

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Via the New York Times: Information from IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers may have the makings of an alibi:

.... he checked out of the hotel around 12:30 p.m., returning his keys to reception, and met his daughter for lunch before going to the airport, where he realized he had lost one of his cellphones, calling the hotel and asking that they return it to him at the airport. The New York police originally estimated the time of the alleged attack on the maid at about 1 p.m., but have since revised it to around noon.

And how did Strauss-Kahn's political opponents get the news before the media? The first tweet was by a French student who belongs to President Nicolas Sarkozy’s center-right party. [More...]

It was at 4:59 p.m. New York time that J_Pinet posted this message on twitter: “A friend in the United States just told me that DSK was arrested by police in a hotel an hour ago.”

Twenty-four minutes later, a tweet by Arnaud Dassier, who ran Mr. Sarkozy’s online election campaign in 2007, spread the news further, apparently before any New York newspaper.

Dassier just happens to also be a shareholder in the Web site Atlantico.fr, which broadcast negative photos of Strauss-Kahn earlier this month. And how is Atlantico.fr getting results from DNA testing, which it has reported?

On a related note, why don't we have a law like this one in France:

[A] 2000 law in France tries to reinforce the principle of the presumption of innocence by criminalizing the diffusion of photos of an identifiable person in handcuffs who has not yet been convicted.

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Discrepancies, a Potential Alibi and Early Tweets in Dominique Strauss-Khan Case | 5 comments (5 topical)

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because we have the first amendment. (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by cpinva on Tue May 17, 2011 at 12:42:26 AM EST

hence, no laws allowing prior restraint.

that he readily agreed to DNA testing gave me pause, unless he thinks he's so good, he left nothing. of course, it was also his hotel room, so his DNA being found there wouldn't exactly be shocking.

allegations and innuendo, of bad acts past, presumably (i hope) would not be allowed into evidence, were there a trial.

The guy is bad news, (none / 0) (#1)
by Green26 on Mon May 16, 2011 at 11:29:46 PM EST

is what I'm thinking. A woman in France plans to sue him for an assault 9 years ago. Word is coming out that he's been inappropriate with women for years, and that this was commonly known. I read that the IMF admonished him recently for some bad behavior with a female employee. There are rumors that he's been inappropriate with workers at the same NY hotel in the past. This is where he stays when he's in NYC.

It appears the security cameras have him leaving the hotel in a hurry. I assume the time can be determined from the tape. We'll see what evidence and DNA he left in the hotel room.

It looks like he was catching his already-booked flight. He called the hotel looking for his lost cell phone, and the police were there coaching the hotel employees what to say.

He may have a very good lawyer, but I think he's going to be stuck with alot of bad facts.

: "Chaud lapin" (none / 0) (#2)
by gyrfalcon on Mon May 16, 2011 at 11:47:19 PM EST

or "hot rabbit" is apparently his long-standing nickname in France.
Doesn't mean he'd stoop to what he's being accused of now, which seems a fairly large leap from the behavior he's widely known for, though.

Timeline is that she (none / 0) (#6)
by Green26 on Tue May 17, 2011 at 05:12:43 PM EST

entered his room about noon, and he checked out at 12:28. Reports say he left the room in a big hurry, leaving his cell phone. The timeline looks fine to me.

: NY Times article (none / 0) (#7)
by Green26 on Tue May 17, 2011 at 05:30:14 PM EST

says consensual sex may be the defense, woman does not have formal education, haS had the job for 3 years, speaks French, immigration status not known, her brother lives in NYC, and job is her sole support (for her and her 15 year old daughter).