A New York jury has ruled that former President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. This decision comes after Mr. Trump was found guilty in a previous civil case of defaming Ms. Carroll and sexually assaulting her in the 1990s.
The $83.3 million penalty is broken down into $18.3 million for compensatory damages and an additional $65 million in punitive damages. The compensatory damages aim to address the harm done to Ms. Carroll’s reputation and emotional well-being due to Mr. Trump’s comments.
This latest trial focused solely on determining the amount of compensation owed to Ms. Carroll. The jury, comprised of seven men and two women, took less than three hours to reach a verdict. Despite Mr. Trump’s vow to appeal, legal experts believe this ruling sets a precedent, reinforcing that the law applies to everyone, including former presidents.
Ms. Carroll, a magazine columnist, expressed her satisfaction with the verdict, stating, “This is a great victory for every woman who stands up when she’s been knocked down, and a huge defeat for every bully who has tried to keep a woman down.” Her attorney, Robbie Kaplan, emphasized the significance of the verdict, stating, “Today’s verdict proves that the law applies to everyone in our country, even the rich, even the famous, even former presidents.”
In response to the ruling, Mr. Trump criticized the verdict on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling it a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt” and expressing his disagreement with both verdicts. He is currently facing four criminal cases totaling 91 felony counts, making him the first president in U.S. history to be charged with a crime.
The E. Jean Carroll defamation case is not the first legal setback for Mr. Trump. In a civil trial last year, he was found liable for sexually assaulting Ms. Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room during the 1990s. That trial resulted in an order for Mr. Trump to pay approximately $5 million in damages.
While Mr. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and claimed the legal actions against him are politically motivated, the recent verdict adds another layer to the legal challenges he faces. Despite the financial setback, the former president has vowed to continue fighting, setting the stage for a complex legal battle in the coming months.
The $83.3 million penalty in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case marks potential implications for Mr. Trump’s future legal battles. The focus now shifts to the appeals process and the broader impact this verdict may have on the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding the former president.