Strauss-Kahn Faces Second Set of Rape Charges

A second woman will file charges Tuesday, alleging that former International Monetary Fund chief Dominque Strauss-Kahn tried to rape her more than eight years ago.

Tristane Banon, now 32 years young, is a journalist and author. She was interviewing Strauss-Kahn at an apartment in Paris earlier last decade when he allegedly attempted to rape her. Banon detailed the incident in 2007, while taping a television talk show. The show aired with Strauss-Kahn's name edited out.

Banon's mother, a political ally of Strauss-Kahn, had originally talked her daughter out of filing charges in the incident.

During the show, Banon explained how her attacker (alleged to be Strauss-Kahn) acted strangely during the interview. For example, he insisted on holding her hand during the interview. He later made advances on Banon, including trying to remove some of her clothing. She fought him off.

Reports differ at to the timing of the alleged incident. One interview translates the year as 2001, while another suggests it happened in 2002. Reuters is reporting that the incident took place in early 2003. The timing could matter because, under French law, victims have up to ten years to file charges alleging rape or attempted rape. Depending on the specifics, a 2001 event could be past the statute of limitations.

Whatever the timeline, the news could not come at a worse time for Strauss-Kahn, who has managed to turn a seemingly open-and-shut case into rape in New York into a possible acquittal, if not an outright dismissal of the charges. In the New York case, where he is alleged to have raped a hotel maid, prosecutors have grown increasingly worried that their evidence is too flimsy to stand up to judicial review.

Particular among their worries is the accusation that the accuser has once before cried "rape" and then relented, opening a door for the defense to claim she is mistaken, crazy, or out for something other than justice.

For his part, Strauss-Kahn denies the accusations (both sets) and, according to Reuters, plans to bring a counter-suit against Banon for these accusations. If nothing else, it will be a summer Strauss-Kahn never forgets.

For a video recount of the story, click here for a (translated) news brief on the entire subject.