A New York jury has recently ruled that former President Donald Trump must pay a total of $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll. This ruling was made in response to Carroll’s claim that Trump had defamed her by calling her a liar after she accused him of sexual assault. The jury awarded Carroll $65 million in punitive damages, $11 million for the damage to her reputation, and an additional $7.3 million.
Despite the substantial nature of the penalty, the verdict was not unexpected, as Judge Lewis Kaplan had already ruled prior to the trial that Trump had in fact defamed Carroll. The jury’s role was simply to determine the amount of compensation owed to her.
Trump is expected to appeal the verdict, making it the second time that he has been ordered to pay Carroll for defamation. Last year, a separate jury ordered him to pay her $5 million for a different instance of defamation.
In response, the Trump 2024 campaign issued a statement arguing that the trial was a “political weapon.” Trump himself has voiced his disagreement with the verdict and announced that he will be appealing the decision.
This trial follows a series of legal challenges facing Trump, including a civil trial which may result in him having to pay at least $250 million to New York state for fraudulent business practices. He also faces 91 charges in federal and state trials, including those related to the January 6 Capitol riot.
The case began in 2019 when Carroll, an advice columnist and freelance writer, accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the ’90s. She argued that Trump’s defamatory comments had damaged her reputation as a trusted source in the media, leading to an influx of insults and threatening messages directed towards her.
While Trump’s attorney initially blocked the lawsuit, claiming that his comments were made in his official capacity as president, the lawsuit was eventually allowed to move forward in 2023. Judge Kaplan ruled that the former president had indeed defamed Carroll and was also liable for his statements.
Carroll testified that the damage caused by Trump’s statements was devastating to her reputation and her livelihood, drastically reducing the number of emails she received for her advice column and subjecting her to threats and insults. In response, Trump’s lawyer argued that the damages should not be solely attributed to Trump, and highlighted praise and support Carroll received for her allegation.
This trial is likely to extend into the appellate courts, as both parties are expected to continue challenging the verdict and its implications.
Summery :
– Donald Trump has been ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defaming her and ruining her credibility
– Trump’s 2024 campaign issued a statement against the trial
– The sexual assault accusation was made in 2019 by Carroll and Trump responded by calling her a liar
– Carroll received threatening comments after Trump’s statements
– Trump spoke in his defense during the trial and was reprimanded by the judge several times
– Trump claims the trial is election interference
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