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Latest update: 29/07/2011
'I ask God: Why me?' NY maid tells press conference
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s accuser Nafissatou Diallo held a press conference in front of at least 100 reporters Thursday while her lawyer Kenneth Thompson said he would be filing a civil lawsuit against the French politician 'soon'.
Nafissatou Diallo, the 32-year-old Guinean-born maid who has accused French politician and former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape, spoke Thursday at a packed press conference at the Christian Cultural Centre of Brooklyn, New York.
“I am here to tell everybody how much I’m going through,” Diallo said in halting English and a soft, slightly shaking voice to over 100 reporters. “I’m here because people have been calling me a lot of bad names. And I have to let people know a lot of things they say about me are not true.”
It is the second time Diallo has spoken in public, following an interview given to ABC News on Sunday night.
‘I ask God: Why me?’
Before Diallo stepped up to the microphone, her lawyer, Kenneth Thompson spoke briefly. “We not only stand up for Nafi Diallo, we take a stand for every woman around the world who has been raped or sexually assaulted and has been too afraid to speak out,” he said.
After Thompson, a pastor from the centre, AR Bernard, stated that Diallo was there to “thank those individuals and organisations who supported her” since May 14th when she reported the alleged incident.
In her remarks, Diallo spoke of the toll the case had taken on her home life. “Me and my daughter, we’re crying everyday, we can’t sleep,” she said. “My daughter told me: ‘You have to remember this is a powerful man….stop crying, be strong for me.’”
Echoing her lawyer’s statement just minutes before, Diallo said that she was coming forward to speak to encourage others to do the same: “What happened to me, I don’t want that to happen to any other woman,” she stated.
Before stepping away from the microphone, Diallo said: “I ask God, ‘Why me?’”
Strauss-Kahn is due back in court August 23 for a hearing which has been delayed several times as prosecutors overseeing the case against the 62-year-old French politician face the possibility that the case will not proceed to trial.
Meanwhile, Thompson, Diallo's lawyer, said after his client's remarks that he would be filing a civil lawsuit against Strauss-Kahn "soon".
Though the prosecutors overseeing the case have expressed doubts about Diallo’s credibility, her legal team’s new strategy of bringing her into the spotlight has drawn intensified interest to an already front-page case.
According to FRANCE 24 correspondent in New York Nathan King, “all big news networks, both local and national” were represented at the church at which Diallo spoke Thursday.
“At first this was a very New York story, but now with all the twists and turns, the interest has really reignited nationally,” King said. “It is the summer story at the moment - if you discount the debt crisis.”
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Comments (16)
"DSK" is innocent in the eyes of GOD!
In the eyes of GOD and in the heart and mind of the whole world "DSK" is innocent from the very beginning. The truth will set him free! No matter , a hundred thousand enemies againts one person, if he is a good man with a golden heart, no one can put him down! "If you point one finger to someone else, always remember their are three fingers still pointing back to you"
suggestions!
Diallo and DSK both are not US citizens. If One of them were US citizens or Immigrant or at least a refugee protected by the US government, the prosecution would be resonable. However, the case should have taken a U-turn at least the revealation of Diallo's crediabillity in immigration docuements. The story on basis of which she filed for "Protection in US" is entirely fake which is accepted by her original country. After knowing this, the US immigration right-away would have rejected her on-going "Protection Case" and would have sent her back to Guinea. And then, the court would have dissmised the case between DSK and Diallo because both are international citizens in US. However, If Diallo wishes she can always make her case against of DSK (a french-international citizen) in "Internatioanl Court".
"Honesty is the best policy!"
Wall (Sofitell's) might have seen and listened something. It would be awesome if the wall spoke what actually happened in the room, which is impossible. Well, Probably the God might have some records about the story behind the curtains, however He is not gonna come to court to speak on the favor of a truth one, but He is just waiting a day of judgement when He will do speak about his judgement about this story. So, the best thing for DSK and Diallo is "The Honesty is the Best Policy."
THE VICTIM POOR STRAUSS-KAHN
Condemnation without investigation is the highest form of ignorance - Albert Einstein
only gods knows
Did she also ask God why she lied about the GANG RAPE story to gain entrance into the USA and why she hangs around with drug dealers. This woman is so ugly she should ask god why he make her look the way she does.
Maid has lost her decency and decorum and is an object of prod!
Is the maid Nafissatou Diallo hankering for NY citizen’s sympathy and invoking God for reviving a dramatic turn around, while attempting to hide and forget the number of instances she may have courted diverse people in public or private from childhood to teen and up her way mark of 32, but which instances did not deserve a suit being filed since she had a consent for them?
Has she all of a sudden become an elite of a virgin for clinging on to a suit that alleges molestation (not rape mind you!) by a dignitary?
How does a court review a case of abnormally abstract allegation, which works against decency and decorum at parallel where a maid without prior hint or permission intrudes in to the suit premises booked by a dignitary explicitly for his privacy, but failed to have an attendant or supervisor to accompany her?
Normally, it is habitual for females to implicate males in sexual or related offences, so that it becomes difficult for an alleged victim to wriggle out of the predicament. As such, the return of the maid cannot be without prodding by the political opponents of Dominique Strauss Kahn who would have incited the maid to make a come back with the press in her wake to grab a multi-million fortune. People with any sense of innocence or smear on their minds would never dare an act of
“I ask God, why me?” if there was any shame and self respect or innocence, the maid would have regretted for her own misdeed of entering the private premises of a male dignitary who could as well have employed on a better pay, if she had a character within? It is purely a prod for the fortune and instigated by the enemies of the dignitary with the press trumpeting the deal louder and faster.
Fake
I don,t know why people are still listening to this bloody liar.Some one should tell the Judge to kick out this case.
So All Women With Complaints Are Lying?
Since a French journalist has also come forward about their attempted rape by Strass-Kahn, supported by having been reported to the now front runner for French president, do you feel she too is lying, or this man knows his power and has been abusing it for years?
Strauss-Kahn
Here's the thing: What if he didn't actually do anything? Other than accusations; where's the proof?
The first lady of Pres. Conde never support Naffissatuo Diallo!
We kept asking why the first lady of president conde never support Nafissatuo Diallo but instead given her sympathy to Sinclair and "DSK" because he was been a victim of vicious lies that destroyed the image of country Guinea. She lied since the beginning whe nshe was in Guinea of being gang rape, this was justl ike a domino effect, that it will ended with full of lies too. They were claiming that the DA tried to drop the case because of racism and sexism, I don't think so, I believed that the DA finally found the truth and its not worth to support her. I believed their was fair and equal treatment between the accused and the accuser. Infact, DSK ,was been treated harshly on the first place by the parading media and the police, while been handcuff. The truth will always sets "DSK" free. He never been a rapist after all. He just love woman passionately which was misinterpreted on the first place.
my comment
I think this story must be followed by africa politicians. Here in africa everyyhing is permitted to powerful politicians.For me Naffisatou Diallo tells the truth.I i'm happy she has decided to give her position to the press. And i pray god so that she will not loose her job. see you soon. I'm from Burkina Faso and you are by favorit TV station.
Mr. Straus-Kahn's acuser
It is like a Circus: it's getting interesting - do they want justice or threaten the prosecutor's coming election?
fotografia-slubna
Hugely proper size, in an captivating and engaging operating oopisane broadcast poprarte engrossing examples from genuine life.
liar
she is big damn liar!!!she is after his money since the beginning...I m surprise nobody from France are here in NY to support him....
Hoel MAid
I have strong vibes that she is lying>>>
How can her counsel let her
How can her counsel let her be filmed ! I think she should ask God to help her erase that smirk from her face. She looks like Uncle Scrooge on his mountain of gold when she thinks of all the money she will get in a civil court.
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