Fact Check: Trump was convicted of rape

Fact Check: "Trump was convicted of rape"

What We Know

The claim that Donald Trump was convicted of rape is misleading. In May 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages. However, the jury did not find him liable for rape under New York's legal definition, which requires specific criteria including forcible penetration with the penis (Wikipedia, AP News).

The case stemmed from Carroll's accusation that Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store in the mid-1990s. She initially described the incident as a "fight" rather than rape, and it was only later that she used the term "rape" in public discourse (Wikipedia). The jury's verdict indicated that they found Trump liable for a lesser degree of sexual abuse rather than the more severe charge of rape (New York Times).

In July 2023, Judge Lewis Kaplan clarified that while the jury did not find Trump liable for rape in the legal sense, they did find that he had committed acts that could be classified as rape in a broader, common understanding of the term (Washington Post). This distinction is crucial because it highlights the difference between legal definitions and public perception.

Analysis

The claim that Trump was convicted of rape is not supported by the legal findings of the jury. The jury specifically found Trump liable for sexual abuse, which is a lesser charge than rape under New York law. The legal definition of rape in New York at the time required evidence of forcible penetration, which the jury did not find sufficient to meet that standard in Carroll's case (Wikipedia, AP News).

Moreover, the judge's subsequent comments about the jury's findings have led to some confusion. While he noted that the jury's verdict could be interpreted as finding Trump guilty of rape in a general sense, this does not equate to a legal conviction for rape (Washington Post).

The sources used in this analysis are credible, including major news outlets and legal documentation. However, the interpretation of the jury's findings has been subject to varying perspectives, which can lead to misunderstanding. For instance, some media outlets have reported the jury's findings in a way that suggests a conviction for rape, which is not legally accurate (USA Today).

Conclusion

Verdict: False. The claim that Donald Trump was convicted of rape is misleading. While a jury found him liable for sexual abuse, they did not find him guilty of rape under New York law. The distinction between legal definitions and common understanding of terms like "rape" is significant and has contributed to the confusion surrounding this case.