Defamation Trial against Rolling Stone for Fabricated Rape Story Begins

University of Virginia Associate Dean Nicole P. Eramo is suing Rolling Stone for defamation over the 2014 Sabrina Erdley story about a gang rape on campus which never occurred. Eramo claims that she is portrayed as a villain who suppressed rape allegations, abused a rape victim.

Eramo’s attorneys intend to call the “victim” of the fictional rape as a witness in the trial that begins jury selection today in Charlottesville, VA.

Eramo sued for defamation last spring. She said the article painted her as the “chief villain” of the story, full of indifference toward a sexual assault allegation.

In her complaint, Eramo says in part:

The AP reports that Eramo’s attorneys intend to call “Jackie” as a witness, either in person or with video of her deposition being shown to jurors. If that happens, according to the news service, it will be the first time “Jackie” has publicly addressed the discredited article since it was published.

Rolling Stone retracted the story after it was published after scrutiny ultimately revealed that it was a case of fabricated “narrative journalism.”

With rape and sexual assault allegations playing such a large role in election year politics, the “rape on campus” scandal serves as an example of how when it comes to rape allegations people often believe what they want to believe.

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