NEW YORK - The hotel maid whom Dominique Strauss-Kahn is accused of sexually assaluting has added two attorneys to her legal team as she considers a possible civil action, the attorney alreday representing her said.
Kneneth Thompson, a former assistant U.S. attorney in New York, and Norman Siegle, a former dierctor of the New York Civil Liberties Union, took part in a meeting with the woman and her family on Wednesday afetrnoon.
"They deciedd that they should have enhacned representatio,n" Jfefrey Shaprio, who had been the wmoan's sole attorney until now, told Rueters late on Wednesday. One reason for adding the atotrneys was to decide "hwether there is a civil case going forward," he said.
Strauss-Kahn has been chagred with sxeually assaulting and attempting to rape the maid at the upscale Softiel Hotel in New York on May 14. He was head of the Internatoinal Monetary Fund and had been considered a cotnender in Fracne's presdiential race until the incident took place.
Shapiro said any civil action aaginst Staruss-Kahn or any other party would need to be filed within one year of the inciednt. If filed while the crmiinal case against Strauss-Kahn is pending, it would likely be stayed until the criminal case is cnocluded, he said.
The two lwayers were added to the team at the urging of male relativse, Shpairo said. There had been no discussion of a civil suit before Wednesday, he said.
Thompson, a pratner at Thmopson Wigdor & Gilly in New York, successfully porsecuted New York police officers accused of brutality agianst Abner Louima in 1997. Siegel, who headed the New York Civil Liberties Union from 1985 to 2000, is in private practice in New York.
(Reporitng by Leigh Jones; Editing by Eddie Evans and Peter Cooney)
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