Wednesday, May 18, 2011

From Sofitel to Rikers Island...


My week vacation in the States was good, but intense and I must say I'm happy to be back home to my daily routine LOL. Here, the news has suffered a real tsunami, after the head of the IMF (Dominique Strauss Khan Kahn, a French politician who was to run for French presidency) has been accused of assaulting a chamber maid at the NYC Sofitel last Saturday. It's a big shock here, not only because the French find it hard to believe, but also because they discovered how American justice works. In France, for instance, it is forbidden to show people with handcuffs on TV and it is not allowed to film a court room. Now, whether he's guilty or not, the odds that he runs for Presidency are very very slim...

39 comments:

  1. There is a saying 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'.
    Also we must presume someone's innocence until proven guilty'. Yet when this is all over (whatever the result?) I hope that the media have a good look at their part in not revealing behaviour earlier when they have a lot of material at their fingertips. For some unexplained reason they 'keep quiet' on matters of high profile people and subjugation of others.
    Interestingly Stephane Guillon was saying this in 2009 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8fwgj_stephane-guillon-a-propos-de-domini_fun

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  2. What a display -- DSK surrounded by women! Great shot. But, what does "La Chute" mean?

    I'm amazed the French haven't seen tons of US courts and handcuffs, etc, like from the OJ trial, etc. But, its a big pond, so maybe not as much gets across as I thought. I saw a documentary about French courts which was enlightening to me about all kinds of differences. I also just learned today that the media in France risk breaking the privacy laws if they report on public figure's personal lives - something we sure don't have here in the US. Perhaps some people take advantage of this. Its just interesting to learn how many differences there are that one never knew about that have deep effects on all kinds of things!

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  3. This is a huge story in the uSA, too. It doesn't look good for the defendant if the stories in the newspapers are accurate.

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  4. Eric,

    The police have put together a pretty credible case against this man if indeed it is true. I'd say he'll have a lot to talk about after being in Riker's Island! He is in a private cell and takes his meals alone...not with the general population which I have heard is as good as it can get for that place!

    I wish him good luck! What

    Kris

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  5. In California, M. DSK has had to share today's news spotlight with Mr. Schwarzenegger, whose behavior has been abysmal, and who doesn't have "innocent until proven guilty" to hide behind.

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  6. It's very funny your typo-- spelling his name as Khan as in Genghis (for the record folks, it's Kahn).

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  7. God, I love the French language.. ;-) "La Chute" [the fall..] is perfect because he chose the "Laundry Chute" by attacking a housekeeper!! I don't know his history with the IMF but I believe the Oligarchs of the Global Elite want him gone for some reason. I have read they want "Puddin'Face" Gordon Brown to take his place. He was such a disaster as PM in England I am sure he will do exactly as instructed at the IMF. Thanks to the internet we know almost too much about this case...think of all the things so called "Leaders" have gotten away with in the past!!

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  8. Carrie: La Chute means The Fall

    I don't really know what to say about this whole ordeal.

    Part of me finds it hard to believe, but parts of me also find equally easy to believe.

    Tomate Farcie

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  9. Great commentary from a writer living in France...La Chute..."Philosophical Hero"..

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  10. Your title captures "La Chute" quite nicely as does your camera with the image of DSK framed in red. As Petrea mentioned, we've been bombarded in the States with Arnold's fall from Maria Shriver's grace. I hope justice prevails for the victims in these affairs. I don't imagine Rikers will be a pleasant stay for our French guest.

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  11. I'm no fan of Arnold, but he did not rape his housekeeper from what we hear. Rape is among the most heinous of crimes. Attacking a hotel maid? If true, and I lean toward 'probable', the guy should rot in a cage. I'm fed up with wealthy axxholes doing whatever they want to do with impunity. Yes, it's eternal, but no, I don't have to shrug it off. Oh, sorry, did express a strong opinion? Not very Minnesota Nice. How out of character for me!

    Nasty Jeff

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  12. Politics aside Eric, I like your 'ironic' take on the situation with your image. Excellent!

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  13. Interesting poll this morning: 57% of the French think it was a set up.

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  14. What a terrific shot, Eric! As Carrie said, he is framed by the pictures of women...c'est un petit drôle ça!

    Unless he was completely out of his mind...I cannot imagine him committing rape...maybe advances gone awry or a change of heart?!?

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  15. The Sofitel Hotel to a lonely cell at Rikers Island prison. Rikers Island medical official ordered the suicide watch as a precaution.

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  16. Eric, 57% reckon it to be a set-up. Who do they think set him up?

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  17. @Julie. Well all possibilities are evoked: his supporters think it's Sarkozy, others think it's an international plot against the IMF...

    None of them are really plausible. But the French find it hard to believe that such an intelligent man, who was up in the polls would do such a thing.

    This morning I heard a new version: he thought she a was a prostitute.

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  18. Eric, the last time I was in Paris I was at Parc André-Citroën and saw the cops arresting someone. Then I saw them chasing down a man with a camera, who then proceeded to toss the camera back and forth with his friend, trying to keep the police from getting it. They were eventually both tackled. Apparently they had taken a picture of the other man in handcuffs. I beleive that they were allowed to leave after erasing the pictures from their digital camera.

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  19. The NYTimes is reporting the electronic key to his room will answer a lot of questions since the maid has a different key and the time-stamps will show who came and went, and when.
    I spend a lot of time in Paris and I watch all the Law & Order, etc. on French channels. This is not a mystery to the French; just have problem seeing DSK shackled like a common criminal.

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  20. @Justine. The Cops probably did not want evidence of the arrest ;-)

    @Anonymous. Yes you're right. Here we're used to having "VIP criminals" treated differently than the average thief. A remain of our - still - very aristocratic society.

    The latest news comes from Australia!

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  21. Je dois reconnaître que j'ai beaucoup de mal à réduire cet homme à l'image d'un délinquant sexuel, qui risque de finir ses jours dans une prison. Je n'arrive pas à classer les informations reçues. Est-ce le fait que nous n'avons pas encore entendu un mot de défense de sa part, est-ce le fait de son image, de l'image de sa fonction, est-ce le fait de son incontestable intelligence, du rôle qu'il a tenu dans des sujets internationaux complexes et importants pour l'Europe, je ne le sais pas vraiment mais j'ai le sentiment d'un gâchis indéfinissable. Bien entendu, si les faits sont avérés, ils sont condamnables et doivent être reconnus comme tels car ils impliquent la violence et le déni de l'autre. Mais tout de même ... j'ai l'impression d'une disproportion douteuse. La chute, d'un Hitler oui, de dictateurs comme il en existe beaucoup encore aujourd'hui, oui, oui, mais la chute de DSK traitée comme cela, non, j'avoue que j'ai du mal.
    Je suis pourtant une femme... Si je peux penser à la victime présumée comme on dit, certes, je pense aussi à lui, qui n'a pas encore pu se défendre, au fond d'une cellule... et aux chefs d'accusation que j'ai lus... Priver quelqu'un de liberté de manière aussi brutale sans aucune forme de procés respectant les droits de la défense et du contradictoire, procès, dont chacun a le droit, est sans doute ce qui pèse à mes yeux. Et cette case prison en attendant... Je comprends qu'il soit placé en cellule anti-suicide.

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  22. For the French to think that such an intelligent man would not do such a thing, I don't think even I am gullible enough to believe that. Surely the French are not that naive.

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  23. Agreed, Jeff. Arnold isn't a rapist. Just another wealthy, powerful cad who believes it's okay to treat women as property. In his case this involved dishonesty instead of force. Arnold's not a criminal.

    I can't say DSK's a criminal, but what he's charged of is a crime, and a heinous one at that.

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  24. Eric, another eye-opening, informative post from you AND your readers. Americans are very naive, I think, when it comes to realizing that we are not as "free" as we think and yes, all that 'innocent until proven guilty' is quite a bit of lip service. A 7th-grade boy was interrogated at his school by the US Secret Service this past week for something he posted on his Facebook page. His parents were not present during this interrogation. This story did not make front page headline news, but the sexual escapades of Arnold and the accused sexual escapades of Dominique did. America is in a sad state of affairs.....

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  25. Yes, Trishia, that is a scary story (I read some articles on it.) The Secret Service does have some authorities in protecting the president that other agencies do not have. Nonetheless, I agree it was handled quite badly. It would not surprise me if the President himself will react to this personally by apologizing to the boy and his family. Let's watch to see what happens.

    Unfortunately, we in the U.S. sat by and watched while intelligence and military agencies stomped all over the U.S. Constitution, with the applauding support of the (former) president. It will take a while to recover from and change that acceptance, I think.

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  26. On a happier note: I hope the picnic planning is going well.

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  27. The photo was well-captured, Eric. Who's to say at this point whether DSK was also "well-captured" or innocent or set up (which, if so, should be provable, I would hope). On the other hand, he wouldn't be the first extremely intelligent man to do something supremely stupid (I give you Bill Clinton, for example).

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  28. One thing is difficult to understand for us: why only the prosecution side gets to talk (to the judge, to the jury)?

    It seems that the defendant can only talk once he's been prosecuted, that is after Friday.

    (That is what I understood anyway)

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  29. The news never stops.....Good on you Jeff for changing the subject....

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  30. Just to end today's comments:)

    Why does California have the most lawyers and New Jersey the most toxic waste dumps?
    . . . New Jersey had first choice!

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  31. Eric - I'm curious that it seems only the prosecutor can address the judge or jury. This is false.
    Both the defense and prosecutor can speak to the judge and jury. The defense attorney speaks for the defendant unless the defendant chooses to represent himself in which case he can speak directly to the judge and jury as a lawyer (questioning witnesses, choosing a jury and arguing law)or as a defendant (testifying about the facts) or as both. However, represented or self representing, he cannot be made to testify before the jury because he has a constitutional right to remain silent. He can't be made to say anything against himself. By this method, all the burden to prove the charges is placed upon the prosecutor alone. All juries are instructed by the judge before they hear any evidence, sometimes repeatedly, that the defendant has this right to remain silent, has no burden to prove anything and that all the burden is on the prosecution. Usually he only testifes after deliberating carefully because he will be subject to cross-examination questions from the prosecution which he may not anticipate and the answers he gives may incriminate him as the jury listens. With that said, if he was questioned in custody by the police during the investigation, he will be warned, among other things that anything he says can be used against him in court. If he chooses to speak then, this pre-trial statement can be used. Also if he say something spontaneously to police or says things to witnesses, those statements can be used against him. So, he has every right to speak and defend himself to both the judge and the jury, but he can't be compelled to swear an oath of truth before a jury and testify as that may lead, and often does lead, to him incriminating himself.

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  32. PS! It is the police in the US who do the preliminary investigation, not the judges. (I believe in France, judges do preliminary investigation.) So, as noted above, during the investigation, the defendant may speak to the police and defend himself. But he often doesn't because in a day or two he will have a defense attorney who also investigates. He can share his defense with his attorney without fear of it being disclosed to anyone. That is, without it being used against him! So, usually, this is in his best interest and his attorney will argue on his behalf and speak for him against the prosecutor. The judge is an arbiter in the court between these parties.

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  33. I'm glad you spoke up, Carrie. I'm no expert on the American legal system, so I hope you've clarified it for the French readers.

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  34. Thanks, Carrie, for clarifying the legal process.

    Eric: it would appear to me that the myriad of conspiracy theories border on rumour and piss-taking.

    What was the latest news from Australia? You underlined it and bolded it ... but it went nowhere ... which could be the point!!

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  35. Thank you very much Carrie. Now I understand the "you have the right to remain silent bla bla" part that we constantly hear in American television series!

    This morning I read that DSK totally denies having raped the chamber maid, so I'm curious to know what's going to happen now.

    @Julie. Well, now a lot of "stories" seem to come up out of nowhere, even in France, even among journalists.
    That is why the French press has been criticized a lot by people who say "so you knew then"... The result is probably that even if he is cleared from the Sofitel accusation, he his toasted anyway.

    Well for now... as the French are very forgiving.

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  36. In addition to Carrie's comments - I doubt an actual judge has been assigned to the case yet. I'm not sure when this actually happens but I think it's closer to the actual trial date.

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  37. I find it scary to think how much a story by the news media, whether true or false, can totally change a person's life forever. "Getting the scoop" is of paramount importance and never takes into account the human being involved.

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