A New York jury awarded writer E. Jean Carroll over $83 million in damages in her defamation suit against former President Donald Trump.
Carroll alleged in her first civil suit against Trump last spring that he sexually abused her in the dressing room of a New York City department store in the 1990s.
Trump has repeatedly denied it, saying he doesn’t even know her.
Carroll, 80, sued him again in federal court saying he had defamed her in his reactions to last year’s ruling, including calling her a “whack job.”
NBC News reported that the nine-person jury’s award to Carroll included “$11 million for damage to Carroll’s reputation, $7.3 million for emotional harm and other damages, and $65 million in punitive damages.”
The jury returned its verdict after just under three hours of deliberations Friday afternoon.
Carroll had been seeking at least $10 million in damages, according to The New York Times.
However during closing arguments Friday, “Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan asked the jury for at least $24 million in compensatory damages for the harm she suffered and ‘lots and lots of money’ in punitive damages to stop him from continuing to defame her,” NBC News said.
BREAKING: Jury has reached a verdict in the Trump ‘defamation’ trial, determine Trump will have to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 MILLION in damages.
Absolute insanity.
Trump will have to pay:
$65 million in punitive damages.
$11 million for “reputation repair program”
$7.3… pic.twitter.com/HTRk97yvYP— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 26, 2024
Do you think Trump was treated fairly?
Yes: 4% (2 Votes)
No: 96% (51 Votes)
Trump’s attorney Alina Habba argued in her closing argument that Carroll “had failed to show she is entitled to any damages at all” because she “actively sought the comments and the attention” she received.
The previous day Trump had been given a short time to testify in his own defense.
Habba asked the former president if he stood by the remarks in his deposition last spring in which he called Carroll a liar, the Times reported.
“One hundred percent, yes,” Trump answered. “She said something; I consider it a false accusation.”
Trump said during his deposition regarding the alleged department store incident, “You’re talking about going to a major floor — probably, I assume, the most important floor — a major floor in a major department store, that’s a very busy store, by the way.”
He continued, noting that a sexual assault would be heard by those at the “check-out counters and everything else.”
“I mean, it’s the most ridiculous — it’s the most ridiculous, disgusting story,” Trump said. “It was just made up.”
Habba told reporters after the verdict, “Before I walked into court that judge [U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan] decided that every single defense President Trump had we were not allowed to raise in front of the jury.”
JUST IN: Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba goes off in fiery statement after Trump was ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million.
🔥🔥
Habba quickly shot back at a journalist who asked if she regrets her decision to represent Trump.
“No, I’m not having any second thoughts… pic.twitter.com/sNuLAol7tP
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 26, 2024
“We will immediately repeal. We will set aside that ridiculous jury,” she added. “Everyone has a right to defend themselves when they are wrongfully accused. And to be able to say, ‘I didn’t do it.’”
Trump reacted to the jury’s Friday verdict writing in a Truth Social post, “Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party.”
“Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!” he added.
