Maid, who accused Former IMF head of rape speaks up, says she and her daughter cannot go to sleep because 'people call me bad names'
Maid, who accused Former IMF head of rape speaks up, says she and her daughter cannot go to sleep because 'people call me bad names'
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| Diallo speaks at the press conference in New York. She revealed her identity on July 24 for the first time since accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahnu00a0on May 14. |
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Nafissatou Diallo (32), who accuses the powerful French politician and former International Monetary Fund chief of forcing her into oral sex in his luxury hotel room, appeared before a packed press conference at a New York church.
"We cry every day. We can't sleep," Diallo, an immigrant from the West African country of Guinea, said, referring to herself and her 15-year-old daughter.
In a hesitant voice and nervously clasping her hands, Diallo said it was "too much for me, too much for my daughter".
The emotional press conference marked a new level in the publicity drive by Diallo, who came out of hiding on Sunday for the first time since May 14, the date of the alleged crime.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office initially pursued charges against Strauss-Kahn aggressively, but later expressed doubts about the maid's credibility, leading to speculation that the case may collapse.
Strauss-Kahn has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his lawyers accuse Diallo of merely pursuing financial gain.
But Diallo's lawyer Kenneth Thompson said, "What she wants is justice and if the prosecutors are not going to bring this case to trial then we have to look for justice and what I look forward to is putting this case before a jury," Thompson told the press conference.
Asked when a civil suit could be filed, he said "soon".
Translation error
Thompson said one of the prosecutors' main concerns a taped phone conversation in which Diallo supposedly discussed going after Strauss-Kahn's wealth had now been proved to have resulted from a mistranslation.
Diallo referred to a New York tabloid report claiming she was a prostitute and said, "A lot of people calling me a lot of bad names. I hear a lot of things, a lot of bad things.
"I say 'God why me, why me?'" she said.
'Mum, don't cry'
She said her daughter had begged her, "'Please, mum, promise me you stop crying. People call you bad names. People say bad things about you because they don't know you.'"
Diallo, dressed in dark grey trousers, a blue jacket and white shirt, left after her brief comments and was followed to the car park by a frantic rush of camera crews.
Strauss-Kahn is not due back in court until August 23 for a hearing.
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