Former President Trump Ordered to Pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 Million in Damages
Former President Donald Trump has been ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in compensatory and punitive damages by a federal jury. The verdict comes after Carroll accused Trump of rape in the 1990s. Trump’s legal team has filed motions for a new trial, arguing that his testimony was limited during the previous trial and that his statements were meant to defend his reputation, protect his family, and defend his presidency.
The federal jury’s decision last month awarded Carroll $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages. However, Trump’s attorneys argue that Carroll failed to establish that Trump’s statements caused harm to her. They contend that the jury’s findings were based on confusion, speculation, or prejudice rather than the evidence presented at trial.
In their motion for a new trial, Trump’s lawyers claim that the court severely limited the former president’s testimony, which they believe influenced the jury’s verdict. They emphasize that Trump made statements about Carroll in an effort to defend his reputation, protect his family, and defend his presidency.
Trump, who has repeatedly and vehemently denied Carroll’s allegations, took to his TRUTH Social platform to express his disagreement with the verdict. He called the trial a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt” and criticized the legal system, claiming that it is being used as a political weapon to infringe on First Amendment rights.
Carroll originally sought $12 million in damages, alleging that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1996. The jury found that Carroll was injured as a result of Trump’s statements made while he was in the White House in June 2019. They awarded her $7.3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million for the reputational repair program. Additionally, they determined that Trump’s statements were made to harm Carroll and awarded her $65 million in punitive damages, resulting in a total of $83.3 million.
This ruling adds to the ongoing legal battles surrounding Trump and highlights the contentious nature of the allegations against him. As the 2024 GOP frontrunner, Trump’s legal troubles continue to be a topic of discussion and debate.
