Restaurant video of Strauss-Kahn reviewed

NEW YORK, June 27 (UPI) -- The demeanor of Dominique Strauss-Kahn likely will play a key role in his trial on sexual assault-related charges in New York, attorneys for both sides said.

Strauss-Kahn met his daughter for lunch soon after the alleged sexual assault against a hotel maid occurred May 14. The account of the meal -- its timing and events that immediately preceded it -- is based on interviews with people briefed on an investigation conducted on behalf of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Many of the details of what was uncovered by police and the district attorney's office have been tightly guarded and officials in both offices would neither confirm nor deny the account's outline or details.

The defendant's attorneys said the 90-minute lunch Strauss-Kahn had with his daughter could figure prominently in the case, which already cost him his post as the International Monetary Fund's managing director and his status as a leading contender for the French presidency.

It all depends on what restaurant security cameras show and how the video is interpreted, the Times said. It could bolster the defense case if father and daughter laugh or appear to enjoy a leisurely meal, or it could support the prosecution if it shows Strauss-Kahn appearing distracted or upset.