![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() Thursday, April 2, 1998 Published at 05:08 GMT 06:08 UK ![]() ![]() ![]() Special Report ![]() Clinton harassment case thrown out
In a stunning victory for President Bill Clinton, a federal judge has thrown out all of the charges in Paula Jones's sexual harassment lawsuit.
In her decision, Judge Wright said the allegations "fall far short of the rigorous standards for establishing a claim of outrage under Arkansas law.
"There are no genuine issues for trial in this case," she
stated.
Mr Clinton denied the allegations.
John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute, a conservative group that has supported Mrs Jones and lined up her legal representation, said Mrs Jones will appeal the ruling.
Dismissal is no joke
President Clinton's first reaction to news of the dismissal was to ask if he was victim of an April Fool's joke. But he was not the only one who was surprised by Judge Wright's strongly worded decision.
Analysts say nobody believed that the suit - no matter what its merits - would be thrown out entirely.
Mr Clinton's lead attorney Robert Bennett was less cautious. He lauded the ruling as a "strong and powerful opinion," adding that Judge Webber Wright's decision was "right on the law, right on the facts."
"I'd be less than honest if I didn't say I was completely blown away by this decision. I think Judge Wright made the wrong decision, but with all due respect, it hasn't been the first time she's made a wrong decision in this case. We had to go all the way to the Supreme Court just to make sure it got tried ... I dare say, we will more than likely be back before the Supreme Court again."
Long and winding road
Stepping up the pressure, Mrs Jones's lawyers released hundreds
of pages of evidence about other alleged affairs, included an
unsubstantiated allegation of sexual assault.
Mr Clinton's lawyer countered by charging Mrs Jones's case was
"garbage" designed to gain sensational headlines without any proof.
The suit was viewed not only as a simple lawsuit but a challenge to the character of the president of the United States.
|
![]() |
![]() |
|