Dominique Strauss-Kahn denies all charges Strauss-Kahn pleads not guilty
Dominique Strauss-Kahn denies all charges The former head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Khan, has entered a plea of not guilty in a New York court to charges of attempted rape and sexual assault.
He stands accused of assaulting a maid at the Manhattan hotel where he was staying on 14 May.
The claims led to his arrest on a plane that was about to take off for Paris.
His next court date is set for 18 July. If found guilty, the 62-year-old faces up to 25 years in prison.
Mr Strauss-Kahn arrived at the New York Supreme Court on Monday with his wife, the French television journalist Anne Sinclair.
A group of hotel workers shouted, “Shame on you!” in a show of solidarity with the maid who accuses him of attacking her.
His formal plea before Judge Michael Obus sets the stage for a lengthy trial process. The full trial is likely to start in the autumn.
Police charged him on 15 May on seven counts, including attempted rape, criminal sexual assault, sex abuse, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.
Mr Strauss-Kahn spent four days behind bars in Rikers Island prison, before being bailed.
Charges against Dominique Strauss-KahnCriminal sexual act in the first degree, two counts (maximum sentence 25 years)Attempted rape in the first degree, one count (up to 15 years)Sexual abuse in the first degree, one count (up to seven years)Unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, one count (up to one year)Forcible touching, one count (up to one year)Sexual abuse in the third degree, one count (up to three months)
Source: New York County District Attorney’s Office
He has since been under house arrest and an armed guard, first in a Manhattan apartment and now in a deluxe townhouse.
The arrest made headline news around the world. It rocked the political establishment in France, where Mr Strauss-Kahn was considered a potential contender in next year’s presidential elections.
Many in France believe that the Socialist party figure has been mistreated, but the case has also sparked a national debate about sexual harassment.
Mr Strauss-Kahn resigned his post at the IMF after his arrest. The organisation has yet to name a permanent replacement.
The prosecution says it is confident it has DNA samples which prove the woman’s allegations against Mr Strauss-Kahn.
Mr Brafman has previously defended a string of high-profile clients, including Michael Jackson.
On 16 May, he insisted any forensic evidence “will not be consistent with a forcible encounter”, indicating the defence will admit a sexual encounter took place, but argue that it was consensual.
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