So many recent accusations of sexual misconduct, it’s hard to keep them all straight. One thing is certain, both the accusers and people who are the subject of the accusations sure provide much text that can be analyzed for deception.
Below are a couple of common clues to deceit. They are provided in statements made by Rep. John Conyers’ lawyer, Arnold Reed and another by one of Conyers’ accusers, Deanna Maher.
Denying the Act or Denying the Conclusion?
The only true denial is to say the accused did not do what they are accused of doing. A true denial would be “I did not assault/harass [Name].” Denying the conclusion “I am innocent, I am not guilty, I will be exonerated” only denies a legal verdict; it is refusing to accept the outcome.
From a Detroit News article dated 28 November 2017,
““At the end of the day, he’s [Conyers] confident that he will be exonerated because he maintains that he has not done anything wrong,” Reed said.”
From a USA Today article also dated 28 November,
“Conyers’ lawyer, Arnold Reed, denied the allegations against the lawmaker and told the Associated Press Maher’s story is uncorroborated. “John Conyers has always said he’s not guilty of harassing these women,” Reed said.”
Grabbed You? Or Grabbed Me?
Sometimes people choose to omit using “I” or “me”. The missing personal pronoun indicates there is tension and a lack of commitment to their statement. The events may not have taken place as she wants you to believe they have. Consider the following statement.
In a 29 November 2017 interview with Fox News, accuser Deanna Maher said,
“For some guy to grab you, who was a staffer, one of his top staffers, … for him to grab you, and force you, force you against the wall and stuck his tongue down my throat…”
In this statement, Maher doesn’t use the pronoun “me.” She did not tell the Fox News interviewer that some guy grabbed her, nor that some guy forced her against the wall. You cannot believe he did these things because she has not told you that he did. There is a good chance she is making up that part of the story. But she does say he stuck his tongue down “my throat.” That part you can believe happened.
The key is to carefully listen to or read each word. If you gloss over them too quickly, you can miss a confession or key omission.
Please Like, Share & Leave a Comment
As Managing Director of Concealed Statements I work with men and women who want to increase their deception awareness to avoid wasting time or money and avoid making poor decisions based on inaccurate information.
Be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn,Facebook, and Twitter.
If you liked this post please Like, Share, and Post a Comment. As Managing Director of Concealed Statements, I specialize in exposing lies through verbal and written statements; and for a little levity to balance I am also a stand-up comedian and wedding officiant – Lies, Laughs, and Love!
Leave a Reply