Last week, the California chapter of the National Organization for Women sent a letter to USC that accused the university of ignoring “gender-based crimes” and also claimed the crimes were “swept under the rug by local law enforcement.”
A particularly inflammatory part of the letter said, “In most cases, alumni lawyers have cleared players of crimes, with help of friends in the DAs office.”
That was a not-so-subtle shot lofted at attorney Carmen Trutanich, who represented USC football players Hershel Dennis, Eric Wright and Rey Maualuga, but does not represent Mark Sanchez, who was arrested last month on suspicion of sexual assault.
Trutanich responded to NOW’s statement: “There’s absolutely no truth to what they are even insinuating. This is trial by innuendo and allegation. Do they want to do away with the judicial system and have trial by angry woman?
“Are we going to do away with the judicial system? Rape is serious allegation and should be taken serious by all sides. We should sit back and let judicial system run its course. The facts are the facts. The police are not biased and neither does the district attorney. They want to push the district attorney. Justice is blind.”