FRENCH PROSECUTORS have dropped an investigation into claims that former IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn attempted to rape a French writer eight years ago.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office said evidence existed suggesting sexual assault, but a prosecution on that lesser charge was not possible under the statute of limitations.
Tristane Banon (32) alleged the 62-year-old former French finance minister assaulted her in a Paris apartment in 2003 as she was interviewing him for a book.
She described him wrestling with her “like a rutting chimpanzee”, forcing her to kick and shout before escaping.
“Although a prosecution for attempted rape could not be launched for lack of evidence, facts that could be qualified as sexual assault were admitted,” the office said in a statement.
Since the incident dated back to 2003 and Ms Banon had only filed her complaint in 2011, the matter could not be pursued, the statement added.
Mr Strauss-Kahn’s legal team said he admitted trying to kiss Ms Banon, but denied he acted aggressively. The politician had dismissed the accusations, calling them “imaginary” and “surreal”, and launched a countersuit against Ms Banon for alleged defamation.
Henri Leclerc, one of Mr Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers, said: “He admitted no violence of any kind. Mr Strauss-Kahn tried to kiss her. He was refused, did not insist, and allowed her to leave.”
Ms Banon had already indicated she would take a civil action against Mr Strauss-Kahn in the event of the investigation begin halted. Her lawyer, David Koubbi, said she regarded as a “first victory” the prosecutor’s view that Mr Strauss-Kahn’s actions could constitute sexual assault. This proved her claims were “not without substance”, he said.
That interpretation was disputed by Mr Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers, who argued their client had been “completely cleared”.
Yesterday’s decision coincided with the release of Ms Banon’s latest book, a novel she said was based on her experiences. The book does not identify her alleged attacker by name, but refers instead to a “baboon man”.