Lemon’s sexual assault case is heading to the courts

You may not remember that CNN’s nighttime host Don Lemon was charged with sexual assault back in the Summer of 2018.  In fact, it did not get a lot of coverage at the time.  One can only wonder why some sexual assault accusations get enormous publicity – and others do not.  I will let readers form their own opinions on that one.

What does make the case unusual is that it is a much rarer accusation of a homosexual assault by a celebrity.  Does the #MeToo movement cover that?  Are male accusers to be given the privilege of unquestioned belief?  I guess it matters who does the believing and who does the disbelieving.

We can recall that unsubstantiated accusations against Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court hearing were supposed to be believed without a scintilla of evidence.  Several Democrat Senators pompously pronounced that they believed Christine Blasey Ford — but of course there was no evidence upon which to credibly make that judgment.  No matter.

A guilty verdict sans evidence is bad enough in a court-of-public-opinion, but many of the #MeToo folks wanted that same standard to be held in a court-of-law.  America’s long history of jurisprudence, the rule-of-law, rules of evidence and innocent until PROVEN guilty were to be discard in favor of a political inquisition or witch hunt.

I understand that it is unfortunate that in many cases of sexual assault, there is little evidence to be found.  It often is she said/he said situation – or in the case of Lemon, he said/he said situation.

Those who read my commentaries know that I am not a fan of Lemon.  I not only think he is wrong on the issues and biased in his analysis, but I think his show is nothing more than political propaganda based on disinformation and outright lies.

But I do not change my core principles based on a person’s political views.  So … I cannot jump aboard the vigilante wagon and opine on his guilt or innocence.  

The accusation by Dustin Hice is that in 2018 Lemon accosted him in a Long Island bar by reaching into his pants to “vigorously rub” his genitals.  Lemon is said to have then stuck his finger repeatedly in Hice’s face, asking if he liked “p***y or d**k.”

Hice says that Lemon can get away with such behavior because the courts are not likely to punish an African American multimillionaire gay celebrity with a powerful media platform when confronted by a little guy.  On the other hand, Lemon’s attorney says that as an African American multimillionaire gay celebrity with a powerful media platform, the television host is constantly accused and even sued by folks who see dollar signs. Of course, they are both correct.

Apparently, in the three years since the incident there have been ongoing negotiations to settle out of court – with Lemon attorney calling it just another “nuisance suit.”  The attorney confirms that Hice was offered $8000 to go away.  In view of his $12 million net worth and a $4 million annual salary, you would think Lemon could do a little better even to dispatch a nuisance case.  For his part, Hice says he refused three money offers, because it is not about money, but justice and accountability.

This back burner case has moved to the front burner recently because it appears that the case will now have to be resolved in open court.  That means an uptick in publicity.  And why not?  Sex and celebrity are the mix that makes for some great salacious reporting – and a lot of moralistic debate.  

Once this case is resolved, hopefully Lemon will not be so sanctimonious in taking up the #MeToo Movement’s mantra that accusers should be believed as he has in the past.

So, there ‘tis.