Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn claimed diplomatic immunity when he was arrested by the police over the attempted rape of a hotel maid here, the American media reported.
“I have diplomatic immunity,” Mr Strauss-Kahn told the police when they led him away from his Air France flight at JFK airport on May 14.
“It’s not in this passport, I have a second passport.
Can I speak with someone from the French Consulate?” he told the police, NBC News reported.
Mr Strauss-Kahn, 62, allegedly forced the maid at the Sofitel hotel in Manhattan to perform oral sex. He was taken into custody a few minutes before his Air France flight departed for Paris, earlier this month.
Mr Strauss-Kahn’s statements are contained in a Voluntary Disclosure Form given by prosecutors to defence lawyers and filed by the Manhattan District Attorney, Mr Cyrus Vance, yesterday.
He also asked for a lawyer, according to the documents, and said that his handcuffs were tight.
“I would like to call my lawyer, Bill Taylor. I need my cell phone,” he told the police.
“My attorney has told me not to talk. I was ready to talk,” he later said.
Mr Strauss-Kahn is currently under house-arrest in a $50,000 a month house. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting the maid.
“Is that necessary?” he asked a detective, referring to the handcuff, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“Yes it is,” came the reply.
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Published on June 17, 2011
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