CLEVELAND — As the world reacted to the news that a former president of the United States was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation on Tuesday, attorney Subodh Chandra was not at all surprised by the verdict.
"I was not surprised that there was going to be a liability verdict against Trump, given the one-sided nature of the evidence presented at trial," he said.
Chandra, founder of the Chandra Law Firm and a former federal prosecutor, pointed to the deposition of the ex-president, in which Trump defended his comments in the notorious "Access Hollywood" tape, on which Trump was caught on a hot mic boasting about how he could grope and kiss women sexually without waiting for their consent.
Asked about the content of his remarks, Trump said, “Well, historically, that’s true with stars," before saying he considered himself a star.
"He essentially testified against himself," said Chandra. "As soon as he did that, I knew he was done. Stick a fork in him," he added.
Meanwhile, advocates for survivors of sexual abuse said the verdict in the Carroll case could empower other survivors.
"It's important that survivors know that they are believed because verdicts like this validate their experiences," said Donisha Greene from the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center.
Carroll's civil case against Trump for actions in the 1990's were possible because of a New York law passed last year that suspended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse for one year, to allow survivors to come forward to sue in civil court.
But in Ohio, adult victims are up against the clock.
Civil statutes of limitations for rape and sexual batter range between one and six years from the date of the offense, depending on the facts of the case and where you live, since Ohio courts have ruled differently depending on the district.
The ambiguity in Ohio's laws mean that if you live in Cleveland, an adult victim would only have one year to file a civil claim, but in Columbus, courts in Franklin County have allowed six years.
"Unfortunately if you live in Cuyahoga County, you have fewer rights that someone who lives in Franklin County," said Chandra. "If you've been a victim of a crime of that heinous nature, and you're suffering that kind of trauma, one year is not enough time."
While the matter awaits clarification by the Ohio Supreme Court, a bill currently in the Ohio House would lengthen the statute of limitations for victims.
House Bill 124, would extend the civil statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse, allowing civil actions to be brought at any time until the victim reaches 55 years of age, instead of the current age limit of 30. It would also eliminate the civil statute of limitations for all victims of rape.