Welcome to the live blog where we are covering developments in the case of Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK), the former head of the International Monetary Fund.All times are London time; New York is five hours behind. By Peggy Hollinger and James Boxell in Paris, Esther Bintliff in London and Barney Jopson and Johanna Kassel in New York.
23:45: That’s all from us. Watch Barney Jopson recap today’s events.
19:30: We are going to wind down the blog for the evening, but will keep an eye on any developments and update accordingly. Thanks for joining us.
19:20: Intrade, the online predictive market, has been tracking response to the DSK case and recent trades show a shift in belief in innocence.
Basically the market went from predicting that DSK stood a 75 per cent chance of being convicted of at least one charge to a 15 per cent chance in the space of a day, the FT’s Jeremy Lemer explains. For the chart of the trades, visit Intrade’s website.
18.50: Kara Scannell in New York says the apparent weakening of New York’s sexual assault case against DSK has put “an uncomfortable spotlight on Cyrus Vance junior”, the top prosecutor thrust into the international public eye for authorising the case – here’s the full story.
18.35: So far, President Nicolas Sarkozy hasn’t broken his silence on DSK – even though he could be one of the people most affected by the reversal in his old political rival’s fortunes. It was left to Marine Le Pen to offer the sharpest criticism of DSK’s potential political resurrection. The head of the far right Front National party said the former IMF boss remained “discredited” despite the events in New York.
“Mr Strauss-Kahn in my opinion is someone who has a problematic relationship with women,” she told BFM TV. “This has been written and said on numerous occasions and I think this disqualifies him to be a candidate for highest office in our country.”
18.20: Cyrus Vance, the Manhattan District Attorney, has pledged that the D.A.’s office will “continue their investigation into these alleged crimes and will do so until we have uncovered all relevant facts”.
18.12: Benjamin Brafman and William Taylor – DSK’s lawyers – say that today’s disclosures “only further confirm that he will be fully exonerated“. Here’s their full statement:
“We appreciate the fact that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has acknowledged that the complaining witness in this case told substantial lies about her own background and the facts of this case.
Those disclosures obviously required Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s release today from all bail conditions. The last six weeks have been trying for Mr. Strauss-Kahn and his wife Anne, and they are grateful that the restrictions on his movement have been lifted.
We have maintained from the outset that Mr. Strauss-Kahn did not commit the crimes of which he stands accused. Today’s disclosures only further confirm that he will be fully exonerated.