A federal jury in New York has delivered a notable verdict, finding ex-President Donald Trump responsible for sexually assaulting and forcibly touching writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and defaming her in 2022 by claiming she fabricated the incident. Carroll was awarded $5 million in damages due to the decision.
The civil trial in the US District Court in Lower Manhattan concluded after less than three hours of deliberation. The jury did not find Trump liable for the rape allegation made by Carroll but held him accountable for the sexual assault and defamation claims.
Following Judge Lewis Kaplan’s final instructions and a 10-question verdict form, the nine-member jury deliberated the case at 11:50 am. The outcome represents the end of a legal battle between Carroll and Trump, who had attempted to have the case dismissed.
Carroll, now 79, filed a lawsuit alleging that Trump assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. Although the statute of limitations for the alleged rape had passed, she pursued a civil battery claim under a New York state law enacted in late 2022. This law provided a one-year window for filing sexual assault lawsuits otherwise barred by the statute of limitations.
Carroll also accused Trump of defamation for publicly denying her account of the incident. Trump, 76, called the allegations “a complete con job” and claimed Carroll was not his “type.” He did not testify during the trial, despite leading early polls for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. However, parts of his deposition from last year, taken by Carroll’s attorney, were shown as evidence.
Carroll testified during the trial, along with two women who said she had confided in them about the alleged assault shortly after it occurred. Two more women testified that Trump had kissed and groped them without consent in separate incidents years apart.
This verdict has significant ramifications, holding a former president accountable for sexual misconduct and defamation claims. It remains to be seen how this ruling will influence future legal actions and public opinion of Trump. The case underscores the importance of addressing sexual assault allegations and ensuring a comprehensive and impartial legal process to examine and resolve such claims.
