US court rejects appeal, Strauss-Kahn free

New York, Aug 24: A US court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by a maid who accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault, meaning the French politician will walk free after a three-month legal saga.

A judge had earlier dismissed all charges against Strauss-Kahn, who was accused of forcing the maid into a sex act at a luxury Manhattan hotel, but her lawyers had filed an appeal to a higher court seeking a special prosecutor.

Appellate Judge Helen Freedman quickly dismissed the appeal, issuing a document that said, "Application is denied." Kenneth Thompson, the lawyer for 32-year-old chambermaid Nafissatou Diallo, had sought a special prosecutor instead of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, whom he accused of ignoring evidence of assault.

Vance's office said that while there was a sexual encounter, Diallo had lied and damaged her credibility beyond repair for the case to stand in court.

AFP