Lewinsky Evidence Inadmissible in Paula Jones Case

Strategic Insights -

President Clinton's alleged affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky will not be used in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case against him, a federal judge ruled. US Dist. Judge Susan Webber Wright made the decision, stating that all evidence involving Lewinsky would be off-limits to Jones's lawyers in the civil suit. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 27, with Jones alleging that Clinton exposed himself to her in a Little Rock hotel room in May 1991.

Key Takeaways:

  • The federal judge, Susan Webber Wright, ruled that evidence involving Monica Lewinsky and her alleged affair with President Clinton will be inadmissible in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case.
  • The judge cited Rule 403 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which allows evidence to be excluded if its value is substantially outweighed by the danger of "unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues or misleading the jury."
  • The trial is scheduled to begin on May 27, with Jones alleging that Clinton exposed himself to her in a Little Rock hotel room in May 1991.
  • Jones's lawyers had hoped to use testimony from Lewinsky to establish a pattern of improper sexual behavior by Clinton.
  • Clinton's legal team asked the court to move up the Jones trial, but the judge has yet to rule on that request.
  • Independent counsel Kenneth Starr asked the court to postpone the Jones trial until he finishes a criminal investigation of the allegations.
  • Starr said the Jones case should be postponed because the Lewinsky probe "is of such gravity and paramount importance that this court would do a disservice to the nation if it were to permit the unfettered - and extraordinarily aggressive - discovery efforts currently under way to proceed unabated."

Statistics:

  • The trial is scheduled to begin on May 27.
  • May 1991 is the alleged time frame when Clinton exposed himself to Jones.
  • 24 years old is the reported age of Monica Lewinsky.
  • 45 minutes is the reported length of the meeting between Attorney William Ginsburg and Starr's staff.
  • 4-page is the length of the judge's order making Lewinsky evidence inadmissible.
  • $ is the reported amount (no specific amount mentioned) of the Lewinsky probe "is of such gravity and paramount importance".

Sources:

  • The Commercial Appeal
  • The Associated Press contributed to this story.