It seems a bit odd to me that Strauss-Kahn was denied bail

[cali]

Couldn't the judge have imposed the million dollar bail and held his passport? Defendants regularly are granted bail even in murder cases. Anyway here's an account by the D.A. of the charges:

Dominique Strauss-Kahn denied $1m bail on rape charge



<snip>

Strauss-Kahn's defence lawyers denied the charges against him, but failed in a bid for $1m bail. "This battle has just begun," his defence attorney, Benjamin Brafman, told dozens of reporters gathered outside the court. "Mr Strauss-Kahn is innocent of these charges."

After the hearing, Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance set out the case against Strauss-Kahn. He is charged with seven crimes, including attempted rape, sexual abuse, forcible touching and unlawful imprisonment, against a 32-year-old hotel maid who had entered his suite at the Sofitel hotel near Times Square at around midday to do the cleaning. Conviction carries a prison sentence of up to 74 years.

According to the criminal complaint, Strauss-Kahn shut the door of his hotel room, trapping his alleged victim inside, before grabbing her chest without her consent.

John McConnell, an assistant district attorney said: "He sexually assaulted her and attempted to forcibly rape her," and when that failed, he forced her to perform oral sex. He said the US authorities were now investigating whether Strauss-Kahn "engaged in conduct similar to the conduct alleged in this complaint on at least one other occasion". Asked to clarify by the judge, McConnell said the incident took place "in Europe".

<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/16/dominique-strauss-kahn-refused-bail-rap

[DJ13]

1. There seems to be a history of him doing similar things in the past

Its not unusual for a judge to deny bail to possible repeat sex offenders.

[Prometheus Bound]

2. He is a horribly violent man if the charges are true. Basically out of control.

Not the type you want running lose.

[blondeatlast]

3. Flight risk, repeat offender--not that unusual. If he were an average Joe, we'd howl

if he was allowed to make bail.

[LoZoccolo]

4. His lawyers have an alibi too.

[AngryAmish]

6. I don't think his lawyers were at the hotel.

Of course they have an alibi.

[LoZoccolo]

7. That is not what I meant.

[AngryAmish]

5. If there is a flight risk, this is the guy.

1. He is a multi-millionaire.

2. France doesn't like to extradite their citizens period. Even raping scumbag ones, see Polanski, Roman.

3. He literally has millions of ideological supporters who will automatically believe his denials and will help him.

4. A million dollar bail to this guy is like losing a napkin. He does not sweat a million dollars.

[The Traveler]

8. I think you have it about summed up

And now we get to see if we have anything resembling a system of justice any more. There will be unlimited sums spent on his defense. There will be political and diplomatic pressures. Every past indiscretion of the alleged victim will be ferreted out and brought forth for condemnation. Etc. The question is, will this man be required to stand trial ... and will the trial be fairly and impartially conducted?

The cynical part of me speculates that the dude is guilty of all charges, and that he eventually walks.

Trav

[customerserviceguy]

13. Your point #2 really says it all

If he ever did find his way back to France, they would dismiss the whole thing as "boys will be boys".

Good to send a message to him (and others like him) that we just don't play that game in the US.

[LeftishBrit]

9. While I think that IF Strauss-Kahn is guilty he deserves anything he gets...

I'm a bit uncharacteristically tin-foily about this. There are several people who could have motives to frame him, from Sarkozy's people to IMF officials who think he's too soft on countries like Greece and Portugal that aren't squeezing their citizens enough.

It wouldn't surprise me if he is guilty, but it also wouldn't surprise me if he isn't.

[seabeyond]

10. once they get to france, dont get rapists back out. nt

[Broderick]

11. IMO - A major flight risk

I say let it play out in the courts. If he has a rock solid alibi, so be it. There is a lot of kerfuffle about opposition wanting to destroy him. The police and courts may not want to take that chance. The problem I have is that he left his cellphone and other belongings in the room while running to the airport. I guess I could forget things, but if it is truly the case, that he left belongings including a cellphone - that is disconcerting.

[JI7]

12. he is wealthy and maybe they thought he would find a way to leave