The outcome of E. Jean Carroll’s civil suit against former President Donald J. Trump leaves us with but one conclusion: Future lawyers for anyone accused of sexual assault and defamation of their alleged victim’s character must do a better job ensuring that the jury in the case is composed of their client’s true peers.
If a jury of Trump’s actual peers had issued the verdict, Trump would not have been found liable on any of the counts. A jury of Trump’s peers would have found his defense, as sworn under oath in his videotaped deposition, utterly convincing.
Here, edited for brevity, is the substance of that ingenious defense:
“For a million years, cave-brutes like me have been sexually assaulting women. Fortunately or unfortunately, that’s the way it is. Fortunately for us cave-brutes who get our jollies that way. Unfortunately for all those women who have responded badly to the star-turns whereby we honor them. That’s just the way it is.
“Oh, and as far as Ms. Carroll is concerned, I would never have wasted my time sexually assaulting her. She is definitely not my type. She looks just like my ex-wife, Marla, and if Marla were my type, she wouldn’t be my ex.”
How could this defense have possibly failed?
Andrew G. Bjelland, Salt Lake City
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