A federal appeals court has affirmed a jury's verdict finding Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing columnist E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s, upholding a $5 million award. The ruling dismisses Trump's challenges to the trial's validity and underscores the legal consequences of his actions.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision on Monday, supporting the Manhattan jury's award to Carroll for both defamation and sexual abuse. Carroll had testified that Trump's friendly encounter in a department store dressing room escalated into an assault.
Trump, who skipped the initial trial, was involved in a subsequent defamation case that resulted in an $83.3 million judgment. This second trial stemmed from Trump's denial of the assault after Carroll publicly revealed the accusations in her memoir.
The three-judge appeals panel refuted claims by Trump's legal team that trial errors had compromised the proceedings. Specifically, they affirmed the judge's decisions to allow testimony from other accusers and to permit the jury to view the "Access Hollywood" tape.
The court stated that Trump failed to prove any significant errors that would warrant a retrial. This decision marks a major setback for the former president as he continues to contest the legal findings against him.
In response, a Trump spokesperson criticized the ruling as part of a "political weaponization" of the justice system. However, Carroll's lawyer expressed satisfaction with the court's decision and thanked the court for its consideration of the arguments.
This ruling comes after the initial jury's May 2023 decision finding Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, which resulted in a $5 million reward. A later jury awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million for defamatory remarks.
