New York (CNN) -- A New York judge dismissed sexual assault charges against former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn at the prosecutor's request Tuesday. A grand jury indicted Strauss-Kahn in May over allegations he sexually assaulted hotel housekeeper Nafissatou Diallo in his New York hotel suite. But in July, prosecutors began to back off the case, asking Judge Michael Obus to release Strauss-Kahn from house arrest after information surfaced that they said called Diallo's credibility into question. On Monday, prosecutors asked Obus to dismiss the charges entirely, while Diallo's attorney filed a motion asking that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance be disqualified from the case and that a special prosecutor be appointed.
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A judge approves dismissal of sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn
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DA: Prosecutors were "not persuaded ... that a crime has been committed"
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The past weeks were "a nightmare," Strauss-Kahn says
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Diallo's lawyer says there's a "mountain of physical evidence" that Strauss-Kahn assaulted her
Michael Obus
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@placeholder rejected the request from Diallo's attorneys and then, at a hearing Tuesday morning, approved the request to dismiss charges.
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In a statement, @placeholder -- who has always denied the charges --  thanked his attorneys and Obus for his decision.
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In a statement, Strauss-Kahn -- who has always denied the charges --  thanked his attorneys and @placeholder for his decision.
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@placeholder's attorneys said in a statement Monday after prosecutors filed their request that it vindicated their consistent claim that their client is innocent.
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In their court filing, prosecutors said that DNA testing indicated semen on her dress matched @placeholder and shows there was a sexual encounter.
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Thompson said @placeholder's power and prestige played a role in the outcome of the case, saying prosecutors would not "run from DNA evidence" if Strauss-Kahn "was a plumber."
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Thompson said Strauss-Kahn's power and prestige played a role in the outcome of the case, saying prosecutors would not "run from DNA evidence" if @placeholder "was a plumber."
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He rejected explanations by @placeholder's attorneys that any sexual encounter that may have occurred was consensual, questioning how he could persuade a woman he had never met before to have sex during a nine-minute encounter.
Cyrus Vance
In their now-rejected motion to have @placeholder removed from the case, Diallo's attorney cited allegations of "abuse of confidence, unfair treatment and bias and prejudices" by Vance that they say disqualify him from the case.
Cyrus Vance
In their now-rejected motion to have Vance removed from the case, Diallo's attorney cited allegations of "abuse of confidence, unfair treatment and bias and prejudices" by @placeholder that they say disqualify him from the case.