The fallout from the DSK affair

Prodicus

Not sure DSK would appreciate the typo rendering him as Strauss-Khan. Just saying.

oldtimer

Apart from the obvious reputational damage, presumably he, and/or his wife, are significantly out of pocket after legal fees, costs of renting an expensive apartment and paying for the security guards while out on bail. Is the judge`s finding of " no determination" relevant to whether he can reclaim anything? My guess is that he cannot and that justice is rough in NY - rather like the sex if the more lurid accounts are to be believed.

Chris

"DSK was the premier contender for the Socialist presidential nomination to fight the despondent Nicolas Sarkozy, a battle he may well have won."

So - did he win it or didn't he? Or do you mean "might have won"? The Gove reforms will come too late to make the "Spectator" literate again.

Jane

I knew the case would collapse as he had the means to hire a law firm who had the funds to put the victim's life under the microscope. I wonder how many of our own lives would stand up to such scrutiny. Further, I read that the DA lost a case of rape against two police officers and he was concerned at how the case against this ghastly man would affect his reelection next year.

I sincerely hope that this man puts his political ambitions aside. Does he really believe that he would have any credibility outside of his own country with the world community? Lets hope that the case against him in France holds up. I am glad I am not his wife. Indeed, I would not be his wife once the glare of publicity diminishes.

Ahmed Khan

There has been something very ‘fishy’ about the whole affair. The entire issue has the hallmark of CIA’s ‘dirty-tricks’ in full flow

Vulture

@Oldtimer:

I wouldn't have a whip round for DSK just yet..or shed tears abt him and his indulgent Missus being 'out of pocket'

According to the French journo Anne-Elisabeth Moutet, hiring their NY townhouse cost them $35,000 a month; steaks were delivered to their door there at $100 a haunch; their celebratory pasta and truffle shavings dinner at Madonna's favourite bistro cost $600 and they have homes in five cities.

Sounds like a typical Socialist's lifestyle to me.

The only mystery is why MMe DSK puts up with being serially humiliated by a man described by another of his many victims as a 'rampant Chimpanzee'.

According to an EU interpreter I spoke to recently, the Chimp's reputation was so well known that they always made sure they went mob handed when summoned by the great man.

Norman Dee

I very much doubt that many people are surprised by this, there are certain groups of people who will never be seen to be guilty, or even when seen to be guilty are never punished. How many vicious ex rulers have lived out their lives in comfort in another country ? (France being a favourite), how many guilty MP's have not been prosecuted ? You all know examples, everyday we see the EU break it's own laws while shopkeepers were getting fined for selling pounds of bananas, it may not be one for the rich and one for the poor, but it is certainly a them and us situation.

TomTom

"Medieval chroniclers might have drawn equivalence between the two events: the natural disaster being the judgement of God on the human drama in court"

Really ? you refer to the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake mentioned in Voltair's Cansdide or the April 1992 Maastricht Earthquake ?

Just what portents might an earthquake affecting Washington DC have ? They have already had the plague of locusts !

2trueblue

We will never know. End of affair!

David Blackburn

Chris and Prodicus,

Thank you for pointing out the typos: the dangers of writing at pace.

Tom Pride

“The case collapsed because the plaintiff’s evidence did not convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt.”

From what I heard on the radio – it was because the district attorney (public prosecutor) asked the judge to dismiss the case because he / she felt that the evidence from the main witness for the prosecution, the chambermaid (plaintiff ??), was unlikely to convince a jury.

I don’t know whether that would be a trial jury or one of their Grand Juries which bring indictments. I don’t believe it got to trial.

Anyway, a casual sexual encounter with the chambermaid, with or without consent – not an appealing trait from a seeker of the highest office. Or, maybe the French don’t care?

oldtimer

@ Vulture

No sympathy for DSK from me, just curious about how people charged fare when a case collapses or is not purued by the prosecution.

Archibald

Ok ladies and gentlemen, let's move along now - nothing to see here. After all, what could be more natural than a hurried sexual encounter with a chambermaid? As sure as night becomes day, I'd wager we've all had consensual sex with someone who has come in to our hotel rooms to clean the bog. It's the most natural thing in the world. And all these rumours of other similar events, malicious gossip of previous 'unwelcome' encounters and suggestions that only male staff on one airline serve him because of his notoriously wandering hands needs to stop. Honestly, can't a man shag anything that comes within 3 feet of him anymore without getting the third degree? Shame on you all.

badman

For a judge in a common law jurisdiction to comment say that there has been no determination about whether DSK is guilty seems very ignorant.

No "not guilty" verdict means that the defendant did not do what he was prosecuted for doing. It means that guilt has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt and, because of the presumption of innocence, he is therefore officially taken to be innocent.

Here, the charges have been dropped because of a recognition that the case could never be proved against him beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore he is entitled to the presumption of innocence just as much as if he were acquitted. If anything, the presumption of innocence is stronger because even the prosecutors cannot see any jury convicting, whereas an acquittal is just the verdict of one particular jury.

In short, the Judge doesn't seem to understand or apply the presumption of innocence. That is an injustice which has marked the whole conduct of this affair in his court.

Biggestaspidistra

Vulture: "the Chimp's reputation was so well known that they always made sure they went mob handed when summoned by the great man."

So why now? How closely involved is the owner of Sofitel/Accor with Sarkozy, and where did the $60,000 come from that's shown up in the maid's bank accounts. Until we know more the timing of the earthquake cannot be completely dismissed.

se1man

It wasn't much of an earthquake, by the way; I was 20 floors up in Manhattan and the building swayed for a few moments, but no damage done.

West Coasters have enjoyed sneering - typical comment from San Francisco: "Pah! We eat 5.9 for breakfast".

Banquosghost

Archibald, well done Sir, very witty and certainly made me smile.

Incidentally, do the French really give one if their politicos are having it off left right and centre?

Fergus Pickering

Of course there's one law for the rich and another for the poor What's the good of money if you can't buy justice with it? To take a trivial example, when did a rich man last pay a fine for a motoring offence?

Maddy1

This is amazing stuff! They obviously did not want an OJ. type trial which they will get in any case in the civil courts! They told us plebs, rape was rape no matter what the sexual history. The left are such hypocrites when it comes to their own, and their own skins, no pun intended.