Federal ruling affirms civil jury’s decision in E. Jean Carroll case
A federal appeals court has affirmed a civil jury’s decision that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to writer E. Jean Carroll. The ruling, issued by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, upholds the defamation award stemming from Trump’s public statements against Carroll after she accused him of sexual assault.
The appeals court rejected Trump’s argument that the award was excessive and that he should be protected by presidential immunity. The court stated that the “jury’s damages awards are fair and reasonable.” Trump’s legal team had requested a new trial.
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The $83.3 million award was granted by a civil jury in Manhattan following a trial focused on Trump’s repeated social media attacks against Carroll. These attacks followed her accusation that Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York City department store in 1996.
This is the second verdict in favor of Carroll that has been upheld. In a separate trial, Trump was found liable for sexually abusing Carroll and ordered to pay $5 million. That verdict was also upheld by an appeals court last December.
Carroll has detailed a 1996 encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman. According to her account, a friendly interaction turned into a violent struggle in a dressing room, where she alleges Trump sexually assaulted her. A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault but did not find that he had committed rape, as defined by New York law.
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Throughout the legal proceedings, Trump has consistently denied the encounter, claiming Carroll fabricated the story. He has publicly stated that she was “not my type.”
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