>>>
now for the first time we're seeing
video surveillance
footage from the
hotel
where former
imf chief
dominique
strauss-kahn
was accused of assaulting a maid. that tape is now lead to go new questions about this case. michael isakoff is joining us with details.
>> reporter:
good morning, ann. newly surfaced video from inside a
hotel
is adding mystery to a
sex scandal
that brought down one of the world's most influential figures. at
1:29 p.m
. on
may 14th
, a call to the police from this upscale
hotel
.
>>
toipt report a domestic -- i'm sorry, a
sexual assault
.
>> reporter:
nbc news has obtained
hotel
video taken at the french owned
hotel
calls 911.
>>
one of our room attendants, apparently she was assaulted by one of the guests.
>>
the defendant is charged with --
>> reporter:
the guest, dominique
strauss-kahn
. at the time the managing director of the
international monetary fund
and a man who could be the next president of
france
. and just two minutes after that
phone call
, a surprising reaction inside the
hotel
. t two officials do what looks like a
victory dance
.
>>
it looks like they are celebrating a 911 call that is going to set in motion a -- a change in the entire
political system
of
france
.
>> reporter:
lawyers for
strauss-kahn
and his political supporters have now seized on this video to argue that the sex charge against him may have been a political dirty the trick, facilitated by
hotel
security officials at the possible direction of associates of
french president
nicolas sarkozy
. it's a major story in
france
. but is being adamantly denied by sarkozy's office and a u.s. legal adviser to the a.c.o.r.n. group, the
french company
that owns sofitel.
>>
the notion that this is involved in some conspiracy is utter nonsense.
>> reporter:
why were they celebrating?
>>
they don't remember specifically why, but they just heard that this housekeeper finally decided to allow the
hotel
to call 911 and they were relieved.
>> reporter:
the housekeeper who first made the allegation is pursuing a
civil lawsuit
against
strauss-kahn
. wednesday, her lawyers denounced the conspiracy claims.
>>
nasi dialo had nothing to do with any type of dancing, any gestures that suggest she's not telling the truth.
>> reporter:
but after first indicting
strauss-kahn
for
sexual assault
, prosecutors later dropped all charges against him, saying diallo had repeatedly lied to him.
strauss-kahn
admitted there was a
sexual encounter
, but said he was enticed. he gave his version of events to michelle taudman for a new book.
>>
at the moment he was coming out of the shower, he met mrs. diallo. she was in his bedroom. she looked at him and she proposed him to have
sexual relation
. and mr.
strauss-kahn
, who is a womanizer, he's a man who never refuse these kind of relations.
>> reporter:
sources tell nbc news that
strauss-kahn
's lawyers are hoping to use the new video to argue in the
civil suit
that did i allo was part of a
honey trap
designed to destroy his political career. for their part, diallo's lawyers hope to prove her claims are true by showing
strauss-kahn
has a history of being a
sexual predator
. ann.
>>
thank you so much.
“ ”