Jury finds that Donald Trump abused E. Jean Carroll: After just over two hours of deliberations, the jury in the New York case found that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll, but fell short of holding him liable for rape.
Donald Trump Has More Legal Trouble
After less than three hours of deliberation, a jury in Manhattan on Tuesday found that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll.
However, the jury fell short of finding Trump liable for rape, the most serious accusation that he faced.
The jury assessed damages of about $5 million, for both the alleged sexual abuse and defamation.
The verdict followed a two-week trial, with the verdict coming back rather quickly.
The case was not a criminal trial, meaning that Trump was not convicted of a crime and will not have to register as a sex offender.
Two women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct were among those who testified in the case, as were friends of Carroll, who she told about the assault at the time.
The suit was made possible by the passage of the Adult Survivors Act in New York.
Trump did not appear for the trial, and turned down the opportunity to provide testimony in the case.
His attorneys also did not present a defense case, although they did cross-examine the prosecution’s witnesses. And a deposition by Trump was played before the jury.
Trump posted about the case on Truth Social on the morning of the verdict.
“Waiting for a jury decision on a False Accusation where I, despite being a current political candidate and leading all others in both parties, am not allowed to speak or defend myself, even as hard-nosed reporters scream questions about this case at me,” Trump said on the social network. “In the meantime, the other side has a book falsely accusing me of Rape, & is working with the press. I will therefore not speak until after the trial, but will appeal the Unconstitutional silencing of me, as a candidate, no matter the outcome.”
Trump Responds
Then, after the verdict, Trump took to Truth Social again.
“I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHO THIS WOMAN IS. THIS VERDICT IS A DISGRACE – A CONTINUATION OF THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!,” the former president said in all caps.
It is not true that Trump was “not allowed to speak or defend myself,” unless he is referring to the instructions of his own attorneys, which may very well be the case.
With Trump promising to appeal, combined with Trump’s longstanding habit of not paying people what he owes them, it’s unlikely Carroll will collect that more than $5 million anytime soon.
What Happens Now?
Now that the trial is over, the question will turn to whether having been deemed guilty by a civil jury of sexual abuse will hurt Trump’s political standing, as he is running for president again.
“A basic uncertainty has shadowed the court proceedings this week. Does this story amount to a political cataclysm or nothing at all?” The New Yorker wrote of the trial earlier this week. “If you just describe the situation neutrally, like a news anchor might—a civil suit in which a magazine writer has accused the former President of the United States of rape will go to a jury trial next week—then it certainly sounds like front-page material. And yet it simply hasn’t been.”
In addition to the Carroll case, of course, Trump has been indicted for falsifying business records in state court in New York, and is facing investigations in Georgia (for his part in 2020 election interference in that state), and the special counsel probes into the 2020 election and the Mar-a-Lago document handling.
And Trump has also been sued in civil court by New York Attorney General Letitia James. All those things, including the possibility of trials and court appearances, seem likely to hang over Donald Trump as he attempts to retake the presidency in 2024.
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Expertise and Experience: Stephen Silver is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive. He is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.
GhostTomahawk
May 9, 2023 at 5:25 pm
In a civil case. These are always just fraud cases perpetrated upon the jury’s. Purely a exercise in “who do you like more?” Running this sham out in a 90% Biden electorate was the first problem.
nan schuette
May 9, 2023 at 6:05 pm
how can he get away with saying he will appeal – he had an opportunity to come to court and speak and refused to do so, even although the judge gave him an extended opportunity! I can’t believe so many Americans can possibly still be behind this guy. He is disgusting, a liar, crook and caused so much damage to America. Republicans, please do not vote for this guy — he has taken America down into the gutter. Other countries wonder how americans can continue to be behind this horrible character!
Rick
May 9, 2023 at 9:06 pm
Several of the jurors were trumpies. Wonder if they voted to let the fat, serial sexual assaulter off. Paying Carroll $5 million when he only had to pay Daniels $130k. I wonder what it would have cost him had he supplied a DNA sample?
In any event, porky will forever be known for his sexual assaults. The guy has been disgusting all his life and now it’s cast in stone. Two impeachments, his company convicted of felony tax evasion, paid $25 million for scamming people with his ‘University’, under investigation for inciting insurrection and finally he looks to be indicted in GA for trying to subvert the election.
I think it’s fair to say porky is done in politics, business and polite society. With any luck he will finally be convicted of crimes he has spent his life avoiding.
pagar
May 9, 2023 at 11:04 pm
This new York case is very similar to the case that involved Joseph spell in 1941.
In 1941, Mr spell was accused of rape, then a serious offense, but was eventually found not guilty by the jury.
However, today’s jury that heard trump’s case is different from that of spell’s era.
They can’t be considered trustworthy, just like Biden family and biden’s justice dept and biden’s FBI.
Tamerlane
May 10, 2023 at 12:34 am
“deemed guilty by a civil jury” in NYC by a unanimously Democrat jury for a quarter of a century old allegation? Uh, what are you smoking Silver? This “verdict” has zero legitimacy. It’s more likely the civil jury verdict against the NYT in Alabama and FOR Bull Connor was fair than this one…
froike
May 10, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Isn’t it ironic that all the alleged cases of rape and sexual abuse are conveniently popping up 20-30 years after the alleged act?
Now consider that the Judge is a Trump hating Clinton appointee.
In short, total nonsense…another Witch Trial!