After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury in the trial of former University student Anne Hylton delivered its verdict at 8:30 Wednesday night. The jury ruled in Hylton's favor and awarded her $150,000, according to Doug Winegardner, the defendant's attorney.
The civil lawsuit was held after Hylton filed charges against fellow alumnus Matthew Hamilton, alleging he had raped her in December 2001.
Hylton's attorney, Steven Rosenfield, said he was pleased with the outcome of the trial and considered it a victory.
"It took a lot of courage for a woman who claimed to be raped to come forward and endure a public trial on such serious and sensitive issues, because very few rape victims come out from behind the shadows," Rosenfield said. "It goes to show that with courage and perseverance, a woman who is the victim of rape can have her day in court and be vindicated."
Because Hylton was suing Hamilton for $1.5 million with an additional $350,000 for punitive damages, Winegardner said he believed, without having spoken to the jury, the jury's decision was "something of a compromise verdict."
Winegardner added that Hamilton adamantly denied the allegation he gave Hylton a date-rape drug and that he and Hamilton are considering post-trial motions and appellate issues.
Claire Kaplan, director of sexual and domestic violence services at the University Women's Center, pointed out that Hylton was not awarded the punitive damages she sought because according to law, if a person is harmed while committing an illegal act, he or she cannot receive punitive damages. Because Hylton had been drinking illegally at the party where the incident in question occurred, she was not eligible to receive such compensation.
Kaplan said while she is uncertain about the impact the case could have in the University community, she still hopes it can teach students a valuable lesson.
"There was a moral victory more than a financial victory, and I hope an educational victory to acknowledge that there's stuff going on here amongst students that doesn't just happen to other people, it happens to people like us," she said.
Although he and his client were not awarded as much money as they had requested, Rosenfield said Hylton was "thrilled" the jury decided she had been wronged.
"Part of the defense was to blame the victim, one of the greatest fears for women in these circumstances, and the jury rejected blaming Annie," he said.
In addition, Rosenfield said he believed the jury's decision to award Hylton the money carried a powerful message.
"The $150,000 reward speaks mountains for how seriously harmed they believed she was," Rosenfield said. "It was vindication."
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