The ex-president, Donald Trump, has been held accountable for battery and defamation by a federal jury, in response to a lawsuit initiated by writer E. Jean Carroll. She claims that Trump violated her at a Manhattan department store during the mid-1990s. The jury, consisting of nine individuals, reached their unanimous decision in under three hours of deliberation. They did not conclude that Trump raped Carroll, but concurred that he "sexually abused" her and defamed her by denying her allegations.
The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages for both charges. Trump's attorney communicated to NPR via email that Trump intends to contest the verdict.
Over a two-week trial in a federal court in New York City, the jury heard Carroll's account of an encounter with Trump that started playfully but ended violently at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in the mid-1990s. Carroll was a successful writer and advice columnist during this time. Carroll testified that the incident had a damaging impact on her personal and professional life, making it difficult for her to maintain romantic relationships and causing her career to falter after she publicized her allegation.
In 2019, Carroll sued Trump for defamation because he denied her claim. The lawsuit stalled in federal court due to uncertainty about whether Trump could be sued for a statement he made during his presidency. In 2022, Carroll filed another lawsuit, adding a battery claim. This was possible because New York temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for survivors of sexual assault.
Despite the court proceedings, Trump did not appear in court. He has consistently refuted Carroll's allegations, a stance he maintained following the jury's verdict. Carroll left the courthouse after the verdict was read, smiling but not commenting to the media.
The trial being a civil case, the required level of proof for the battery claim was lower than it would be in a criminal trial. Rather than proving her case "beyond a reasonable doubt," Carroll needed to demonstrate her case "by a preponderance of the evidence". This means that the jurors only needed to find Carroll's account more probable than not.
In New York, a civil battery claim can include a broad range of undesired physical contact. The jury considered not only whether Trump "raped" Carroll but also whether he "sexually abused" or "forcibly touched" her. The jury awarded Carroll $2 million in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages for the battery claim. They also awarded her $2.7 million in compensatory damages and an additional $280,000 in punitive damages for the defamation claim.
Carroll recounted the alleged incident over three days of testimony. She claimed that she met Trump coincidentally, he recognized her, and asked her to assist him in shopping for a present for another woman. After they arrived in the dressing room, Carroll said, he restrained her and violated her, but she managed to escape after kneeing him. Carroll did not file a police report at the time, but she did confide in two friends about the assault.
She made her allegations public in 2019 upon publishing her memoir. Trump not only denied her claims but also accused her of fabricating the story to promote her book sales. Following her public statement, she was dismissed
from Elle magazine. On the stand, Carroll asserted, "I am here because Donald Trump violated me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn't happen. He lied and shattered my reputation, and I am here to try to get my life back."
Her testimony was often emotional, her voice quivering at times. Despite the turmoil, she expressed a sense of relief and satisfaction in having her day in court. During the second week of the trial, the jury heard from two friends who confirmed that Carroll had confided in them about the incident soon after it occurred. Carroll's legal team also questioned two other women who had accused Trump of sexual assault, aiming to establish a pattern of predatory behavior.
Trump chose not to testify in his defense. His defense team, led by Joe Tacopina, sought to cast doubt on Carroll's story, focusing on her inability to provide the precise date or even the year of the alleged incident. Tacopina argued that the lack of a specific date made it impossible for Trump to defend himself effectively. They also questioned her decision not to involve the police and her later description of her life as "fabulous" despite the emotional trauma she claimed.
The trial against Carroll is one among several legal proceedings involving the former president amidst his campaign for the 2024 presidential election. In addition to this, Trump is facing criminal charges in New York state concerning payments made to an adult film actress, a civil trial alleging a longstanding pattern of fraud by Trump and his business, the possibility of charges in Georgia, and two investigations by the Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith into Trump's handling of classified documents and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
Questions & Answers:
Q1: What did the federal jury decide about Donald Trump in the lawsuit by E. Jean Carroll?
A1: A federal jury found former President Donald Trump accountable for battery and defamation in the lawsuit initiated by writer E. Jean Carroll.
Q2: How much was E. Jean Carroll awarded in damages?
A2: E. Jean Carroll was awarded a total of $5 million in damages for both the battery and defamation claims against Donald Trump.
Q3: What was the incident involving Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll?
A3: E. Jean Carroll alleges that Donald Trump sexually abused her in a Manhattan department store during the mid-1990s. She claimed that this encounter negatively impacted her personal life and professional career.
Q4: What other legal proceedings is Donald Trump facing?
A4: Donald Trump is facing multiple legal proceedings, including criminal charges in New York state linked to payments made to an adult film actress, a civil trial alleging long-term fraud by Trump and his business, possible charges in Georgia, and two investigations by the Department of Justice Special Counsel into Trump's handling of classified documents and his attempts to reverse the 2020 election.
