TRUMP GUILTY OF SEXUAL ABUSE
Carroll took her pain to the courtroom and was vindicated
Yesterday, a Manhattan jury found in favor of E. Jean Carroll in her civil sexual assault and defamation case against Donald Trump. This is vindication, the verdict proves that Trump is indeed someone who assaults women, “grabs them by the pussy” simply because he thinks he can.
Having been in the courtroom for much of the trial and heard testimony and final arguments, I was convinced that Carroll was telling the truth. Of course it wasn’t up to me.
Trump did himself in with his deposition; his lack of empathy was glaringly obvious. Ms. Carroll’s attorneys did a masterful job showing us facts; but also helping us understand Ms. Carroll and her nuanced response— over several decades— to having been assaulted. Her lawers understood how the defense strategy was outdated and wrong, how Trump’s attorneys tried to prove Ms. Carroll was lying because she did not “behave” as they thought a rape victim should behave: she didn’t scream, she didn’t report the rape, she didn’t stop living a somewhat happy life; in fact, she went on with her life, as painful as it was. So many women have no choice, it’s too risky to speak up.
It certainly was dangerous for Ms Carroll to speak up, nonetheless she decided to take her pain to the courtroom and hold Trump accountable. Perhaps she realized there was little more he could do to her.
One of my favorite parts of being in the courtroom is when the room is asked “to rise” for the jury as they come in the room to take their seats. I love the simple act of respect for a group of average citizens who are trying to decide what’s right and what’s wrong.
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