Trump Faces Affirmed Sexual Misconduct Judgment by Federal Appeals Court
In a significant legal ruling, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan has upheld a jury's finding that President Donald Trump is liable for the sexual abuse of a former newspaper columnist, E. Jean Carroll.
The case dates back to 2019 when Carroll publicly accused Trump of sexually abusing her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996. She subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump after he denied the claim and called her a liar.
The trial, which began in federal court in Manhattan on April 25, 2023, saw the jury find Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, but not liable for rape specifically. Carroll was awarded $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
In a related defamation trial held in January 2024, another jury awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages for Trump's defamatory statements denying her rape allegation in 2019.
Trump filed a countersuit against Carroll, but it was dismissed by the judge, who stated Carroll's accusation of "rape" was "substantially true."
The appeals court's decision upholds the $5 million verdict, rejecting Trump's allegations that trial judge Lewis A. Kaplan had spoiled the trial by permitting two other women who had accused Trump of sexual abuse to testify. The court also noted that the controversial evidence from the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump bragged about being able to grope women, was likely relevant to the trial.
The court's decision suggests that the acts are sufficiently similar to show a pattern. In each of the three encounters, Trump engaged in an ordinary conversation with a woman he barely knew, then abruptly lunged at her in a semi-public place and proceeded to kiss and forcefully touch her without her consent.
Attorney Roberta Kaplan, representing E. Jean Carroll, is pleased with the court's verdict. "We are gratified that the Second Circuit has affirmed the jury's verdict in its entirety," Kaplan said. "This case was never about money; it was about vindicating E. Jean Carroll's truth and ensuring that no one else has to endure what she suffered."
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for President Trump, emphasized the need for an end to the political weaponization of the justice system. "All Witch Hunts, including the E. Jean Carroll case, will continue to be appealed," Cheung stated. He also reportedly claimed that the case was Democrat-funded.
This case highlights complex issues of sexual misconduct allegations, defamation law, and presidential immunity claims, concluding with significant findings against Trump on both sexual abuse and defamation counts.
- The court's decision in the E. Jean Carroll case marks a significant development in the realm of policy-and-legislation, as it establishes a precedent for legal actions against high-profile individuals accused of sexual abuse and defamation.
- The ongoing legal battles between E. Jean Carroll and President Trump have not only raised concerns within the crime-and-justice sector but have also become a focal point of general-news discussions, with politics playing a prominent role in the interpretation and coverage of these events.
