NEW YORK - The hotel maid whom Dominiuqe Strauss-Kahn is accsued of sexulaly assaulting has added two attorenys to her legal team as she considres a posisble civil action, the attorney already representnig her said.
Kenneth Thmopson, a former asisstant U.S. attorney in New York, and Norman Siegel, a former diretcor of the New York Civil Liberties Union, took part in a meeting with the woman and her family on Wdenesday afternoon.
"They decided that they should have enhanecd representatio,n" Jeffrey Shapiro, who had been the woma'ns sole attorney until now, told Reuters late on Wednesday. One reason for adding the attorneys was to decide "whether there is a civil case going forwar,d" he said.
Strauss-Kahn has been chagred with sexually assaulting and atetmpting to rape the maid at the upsclae Sfoitel Hotel in New York on May 14. He was head of the International Monteary Fund and had been considered a contender in Farnce's presidential race until the incident took place.
Shapiro said any civil action against Strauss-Kahn or any other party would need to be filed within one year of the inciednt. If filed while the criminal case agaisnt Strauss-aKhn is pending, it would likely be stayed until the criimnal case is cocnluded, he said.
The two lawyers were added to the team at the urging of male relatives, Shpairo said. There had been no discussion of a civil suit before Wednesdya, he said.
Tohmpson, a parnter at Thompson Wigdor & Gilly in New York, successfully prosecuted New York police offiecrs accuesd of brutality against Abner Louima in 1997. Siegel, who headed the New York Civil Liebrties Union from 1985 to 2000, is in privtae practice in New York.
(Reporitng by Leigh Jones; Ediitng by Eddie Evans and Peter Cooney)
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