Former US President Donald Trump has been found liable for battery and defamation in a lawsuit filed against him by longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.
E. Jean Carroll feels ‘fantastic’ after Donald Trump verdict
As reported by ABC News, a New York jury ruled that Trump had sexually abused and defamed Carroll, but did not rape her, awarding her $5 million in damages.
Carroll alleged that Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in Manhattan, NY, during the mid-1990s and then defamed her when he mocked and dismissed her claim in 2022.
Trump has denied all charges. In a 2022 social media post, Trump called Carroll’s allegations “a Hoax and a lie” and said, “This woman is not my type!”
In an interview with ABC News‘ George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America,” Carroll said she felt “fantastic” one day after the verdict.
She also disclosed that she did not report the incident to the police decades ago because she was “too ashamed” and “blamed herself.”
Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist and “Saturday Night Live” writer, expressed her happiness over the jury’s decision, stating that it was probably the happiest day of her life. She recalled feeling “shaken” throughout the trial, particularly during her three days of testimony but felt strong because she knew she was telling the truth.
Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, stated that Trump had “absolutely zero” grounds for an appeal, noting that the judge gave him “multiple chances to come to that courtroom and testify.” Kaplan further stated that Trump, like everyone else, was not above the law.
Carroll expressed that the verdict was a wonderful and overwhelming moment, recalling how she held Kaplan’s “ice cold” hand in anticipation when the jury read the verdict on Tuesday.
The verdict comes as a significant blow to Trump, who has been battling numerous lawsuits since leaving office.
