Strauss-Kahn prosecutor refuses to stand down over leaks

The lead prosecutor in the sexual assault trial of former IMF director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has rejected calls from the alleged victim to resign from the case.

Lawyers representing the woman, who worked as a chambermaid in the New York hotel where the May 14 assault is alleged to have occurred, claimed that their case had been undermined by the leaking of information about their client, Euronews reports. 

They called for the Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance to be replaced by a special prosecutor, however Vance has refused to step down.

The BBC reports that a spokeswoman for the DA's office said:

Any suggestion that this office should be recused is wholly without merit.

Prosecutors were recently reported to have become concerned about the woman's credibility as a witness over her asylum application and suggestions of connections with criminal activities.

Her lawyers refuted the claims and said that she chose to bring certain information about her asylum application to prosecutors' attention. 

Strauss-Kahn was released from house arrest without bail on July 1. The charges against him have not been dropped and he is due to appear in court again on July 18.

His lawyers said Wednesday that he would plead not guilty to all of the sexual assault charges and that no plea bargain had been discussed with prosecutors, the New York Times reports. 

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