Asked how he pleaded to seven counts of sex crimes, the former head of the world lender, once a top contender for president of France, stood before Judge Michael Obus and more than 100 journalists to say: "Not guilty."

Strauss-Kahn, 62, then left with his wife and two burly bodyguards assigned to enforce his house arrest.

Outside the New York State Supreme Court, a lawyer for the Sofitel hotel maid accusing Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape her said she would take the stand during the trial.

From the courthouse steps he told a huge crowd of journalists that the alleged sexual assault in Strauss-Kahn's Sofitel luxury suite May 14 had left her "traumatized."

"She's going to come to the courthouse, she's going to tell the truth. What she wants is justice," lawyer Kenneth Thompson told reporters.           

AFP