Donald Trumphas been deemed liable for sexually abusing and defaming formerElleadvice columnistE. Jean Carroll, based on a jury’s findings in her highly publicized civil trial that sought damages for both acts.
Prior to the reading of the verdict, the judge issued a decorum warning,according to journalists inside the courtroom: “No shouting. No jumping up and down. No race for the door.” As the jury revealed its findings, Carroll held one of her attorney’s hands.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty, Ron Sachs - Pool/Getty
To reach a decision, the nine jury members — six men and three women — were asked to unanimously answer up to 10 questions, some of which dealt with the degree of battery, if any, they would like to hold Trump liable for. Options included determining whether he raped Carroll, sexually abused her, forcibly touched her or did none of the above.
They ultimately concluded that she was not raped, but sexually abused: the second-highest offense that they could choose. Because it is a civil trial, their verdict does not determine guilt as a legal matter and will not lead to criminal charges. The jury did, however, have the power to order that Trump pay Carroll $2 million for sexual abuse and nearly $3 million for defamation.
E. Jean Carroll arriving to the courthouse during her trial against Donald Trump.Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty
In Carroll’s suit, which led to the May 2023 trial, the writer alleged: “Roughly 27 years ago, playful banter at the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in New York City took a dark turn when Defendant Donald J. Trump seized Plaintiff E. Jean Carroll, forced her up against a dressing room wall, pinned her in place with his shoulder, and raped her.”
The complaint claimed that the incident “severely injured Carroll, causing significant pain and suffering, lasting psychological harms, loss of dignity, and invasion of her privacy” and sought “redress for her injuries and to demonstrate that even a man as powerful as Trump can be held accountable under the law.”
Carroll went public with her allegations against Trump in 2019, after which Trump adamantly denied Carroll’s claims of assault, saying inan interview: “No. 1: She’s not my type” and, further, that he had “never met this person in my life.” (The two have been photographed together, though Trump said that was an incidental moment.)
Trump also tweeted at the time that Carroll was “totally lying” about the rape, claiming she made up the allegation in order to help sell her memoir.
E. Jean Carroll.Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty
This most recent trial, however, is part of Carroll’s second lawsuit, filed in November 2022 and alleging both battery and defamation.
Carroll testified on day two of the civil trial in New York City, saying, “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me,” according to multiple news outlets, “and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen.”
“He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back,” thewriteradded.
During the trial, Carroll platformed other women who have accused Trump of sexual assault, with witnesses including former PEOPLE writerNatasha Stoynoffand ex-businesswoman Jessica Leeds whodetailed their own claims of assaultat the hands of the former president.
The verdict comes on the heels of other legal issues for Trump, who in March became the first former president in U.S. history to answer to criminal charges when he appeared in a Manhattan courtroom toplead not guilty to 34 felony countsof falsifying business records in the first degree.
The felony charges resulted from an investigation into alleged hush money payments made totwo women, including adult film starStormy Daniels, while he was a presidential candidate in 2016.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
