New York prosecutor objects to Diallo lawyers' demand for Strauss-Kahn files

The New York district attorney’s office and the city police force are opposing a demand by lawyers acting for hotel housemaid Nafissatou Diallo for files relating to the criminal case of alleged sexual assault against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. 

Nafissatou Diallo with her lawyer Kenneth Thompson Reuters

The lawyers are preparing Diallo’s civil case against DSK after criminal charges against him were dropped on 23 August last year. Last month, they asked for documents prepared by the DA’s office at the time of the criminal case to be handed over.

The deadline for obtaining the files expired on 11 June. The DA’s office claims the files have remained sealed since the criminal case was dropped and cannot be re-opened as they relate to a case that did not go to trial.

The office also said the number of confidential files requested was too big and would violate grand jury secrecy laws. In the US, a grand jury decides if someone should be charged with an offense

New York police also objected to the request saying the criminal file was now sealed.

On 1 May, Judge Douglas McKeon, who is presiding over the civil case against Strauss-Kahn, refused to accept his claim of diplomatic immunity.

The case has now entered the discovery phase which could last up to a year.

A former head of the International Monetary Fund and one-time frontrunner for the French presidency, Strauss-Kahn suffered a stunning fall from grace after his arrest last year on accusations he sexually assaulted a New York hotel maid.

Strauss-Kahn, 63, has since faced a series of criminal and civil actions in connection with alleged sex crimes.

Diallo is seeking unspecified damages, while he has in turn filed a 1 million US dollar countersuit for malicious prosecution and defamation.