1730 GMT: This ends AFP's Live Report coverage Friday on developments in the sexual assault case against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Here is a summary of events in the fast moving case: -- In an unscheduled hearing, New York Judge Michael Obus releases Strauss-Kahn on his own recognizance and sets a new hearing for July 18. -- Obus makes his decision because Strauss-Kahn's accuser gave false information to the grand jury. The alleged victim also lied on her application to immigrate to the United States, further undermining her credibility. -- Strauss-Kahn is allowed to end his strict house arrest conditions and go where he pleases, but cannot travel abroad, as Obus retains the ex-IMF chief's passport. -- "This case was not what it appears to be," Strauss-Kahn said attorney Benjamin Brafman tells reporters outside the courthouse, predicting that his client will be exonerated. -- However the victim's attorney, Kenneth Thompson, gives a full-throated defense of his client. "The victim made mistakes, but that doesn't mean she's not a rape victim," he said. -- Thompson points to powerful physical evidence that she was sexually assaulted, including a bruised vagina, and torn shoulder ligament and ripped stockings. -- Thompson claims District Attorney Cyrus Vance is laying the foundation to dismiss the case. -- Vance speaks to reporters but takes no questions. His office is committed "to the truth and the facts" and will continue to pursue the case, he says.
1714 GMT: In a letter to Strauss-Kahn's attorneys, Vance said his office believes the alleged victim gave false information in both her asylum application to enter the United States and in her account to the grand jury about what happened immediately after the alleged assault.
1655 GMT: Thompson, the victim's attorney, claims that district attorney Vance "is too afraid to try this case" after recently losing several high-profile New York cases.
1642 GMT: After vowing to pursue the case, Vance leaves without taking questions from reporters.
1640 GMT : "Today's proceedings do not dismiss the indictment," said Vance. "Our office's committment is to the truth and the facts."
1637 GMT: District Attorney Cyrus Vance speaks to reporters.
1635 GMT: "The complainant has since admitted that this account was false and that after the incident in Suite 2806, she proceeded to clean a nearby room and then returned to Suite 2806 and began to clean that suite before she reported the incident to her supervisor," prosecutors said in court filings.
1634 GMT: Strauss-Kahn's alleged victim gave a false account in testimony to the grand jury, omitting the fact that she cleaned another room before alerting a supervisor of her claims of sexual assault, prosecutors said in court documents.
1627 GMT: .The victim said she is "going to stand in front in the cameras and tell to the world what Dominique Strauss-Kahn did," said Thompson, her lawyer.
1617 GMT: Strauss-Kahn made it back to the Manhattan home where he is staying.
1616 GMT: "We are grateful to the office of the disrict attorney for following up on this investigation and making these disclosures," Strauss-Kahn attorney William Taylor said, adding: "these disclosures reinforce our conviction that he will be exonerated."
1615 GMT: Strauss-Kahn will be exonerated, his lawyers said after a judge freed him on house arrest.
1612 GMT: The victim's credibility "is important. But you cannot discount the powerful physical evidence that was left behind in that assault," said Thompson.
1608 GMT: "The victim made mistakes, but that doesn't mean that she's not a rape victim," said Thompson.
1607 GMT: "We believe the district attorney is laying the foundation to dismiss this case," said Thompson.
1605 GMT: "Her asylum information is not completely accurate," said Thompson, saying that the victim had been raped by soldiers in Africa.
1559 GMT: News reports that the victim is linked to drugs are a lie, Thompson said.
1558 GMT: There is medical and forensic evidence supporting the victim's account that she was sexually assaulted by Strauss-Kahn, Thompson said.
1555 GMT: Thompson said the victim herself came forward voluntarily to talk about problems on her asylum application that are undermining her credibility.
1552 GMT: "The only defense that Dominique Strauss-Kahn has is that this sexual encounter was consensual. That is a lie," said Kenneth Thompson, attorney for the alleged victim, speaking outside the courthouse.
1549 GMT: A smiling Strauss-Kahn puts his arm around his wife's shoulder as the two leave the courthouse and walk to their car. One of his defense attorneys pats him on the back as the couple enters the car.
1543 GMT: Obus however did not return Strauss-Kahn's passport.
1542 GMT: Strauss-Kahn leaves the courtroom smiling with his wife Anne Sinclair.
1541 GMT: Obus releases Strauss-Kahn on his own recognizance, sets the next hearing for July 18.
1537 GMT: Judge Michael Obus arees there are "substantial changes, but the case is not over."
1535 GMT: Prosecutors agree to ease bail conditions against Strauss-Kahn, but say they will not dismiss the case.
1533 GMT: Prosecutors agree to lift Strauss-Kahn's bail.
1529 GMT: The judge and Strauss-Kahn arrive in the courtroom to start the hearing.
1525 GMT: Strauss-Kahn's lawyers enter the courtroom.
1523 GMT: The New York Times reports that prosecutors do not believe much of the version of events told by the Guinean-born chambermaid who claimed that Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted and attempted to rape her in his luxury hotel suite in Manhattan on May 14. Although there was clear evidence of a sexual encounter, they suspect she had repeatedly lied to them.
1518 GMT: Reporters are allowed to enter the courtroom in groups of seven under the strict control of security officers.
1513 GMT: The victim's lawyer, Kenneth Thompson, takes his place in the courtroom.
1510 GMT: Strauss-Kahn is wearing a dark suit, a white shirt and a sky-blue tie, and appeared serious but confident.
1509 GMT: Prosecutors agreed to free Strauss-Kahn from house arrest and return his bail money after admitting the accuser had lied repeatedly, Bloomberg TV reports.
1508 GMT: About 100 journalists packed the viewer's gallery of Room 51, on the 13th floor of the courthouse in Manhattan, while a throng of television cameras and reporters clustered outside.
1503 GMT: The unscheduled hearing, set for 1530 GMT, will likely alter Strauss-Kahn's strict bail conditions, allowing him to travel freely within the United States. His lawyers were reportedly discussing a dismissal of the felony charges.
1455 GMT: Strauss-Kahn walks into a New York court for a special hearing in his sexual assault case, amid revelations that charges against him were unravelling on doubts about his accuser's credibility. He is accompanied by his wife, journalist Anne Sinclair.
Welcome to the AFP Live Report for Friday on a surprise US court hearing on the sexual assault case against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
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