Donald Trump and the Meaning of the E. Jean Carroll Verdict

Regarding your editorial “Trump Loses a Sexual Abuse Suit” (May 10): Former President Donald Trump’s character defects make it very difficult to come to his defense. His claim that he couldn’t have raped E. Jean Carroll because “she’s not my type” is crude and certainly not a valid defense. Yet Mr. Trump was found not liable for the alleged rape, and would also have been found not liable for battery if he had been able to show that he was somewhere else at the time. He didn’t have the opportunity to use this defense because the accuser doesn’t remember the day, time or even year it allegedly happened.

After 30 years, any paper trail, witnesses or perhaps security video no longer exist. The difficulty of producing evidence after so many years is why criminal charges are subject to a statute of limitations. Every rape accusation must be taken seriously and every accused must have a fair opportunity to defend himself.