NEW YORK — A federal appeals court affirmed a jury’s verdict on Monday, validating the $5 million compensation awarded to E. Jean Carroll who accused former President Donald Trump of sexual abuse in the 1990s. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals supported the jury’s findings of defamation and abuse that Carroll alleged occurred in a dressing room of an upscale department store more than two decades ago.
Carroll, a former magazine columnist, claimed that what started as a playful encounter with Trump in the spring of 1996 escalated into an assault. Despite Trump’s denials and absence during the trial, additional linked accusations and testimonies appear to strengthen the case against him.
The appeal ruling came after Trump’s legal team contested several of the trial’s decisions made by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, which included the admittance of testimonies by two other women who had similarly accused Trump of sexual assault. The jury was also shown the 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape, where Trump made lewd comments about women, which the court noted reinforced the pattern of behavior described by the plaintiffs.
The panel of three judges concluded that Trump failed to prove that Kaplan’s decisions unjustly affected the trial’s outcome, denying him grounds for a new trial. The decision marks another chapter in the ongoing legal challenges faced by Trump, involving detailed scrutiny over his conduct towards women over the years.
The trials have notably taken a toll on Carroll, who testified that the ordeal and ensuing public scrutiny disrupted her life and career, leading to threats and forcing her into seclusion at her home in upstate New York.
Trump’s response to the ruling was swift, with his spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissing the verdict as a continuation of what they deem a politically motivated witch hunt. Cheung reiterated Trump’s claim, alleging a Democrat-backed hoax, and confirmed plans to further appeal the decision.
On the other side, Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan (no relation to Judge Kaplan), expressed satisfaction with the court’s thorough consideration and the favorable ruling. They viewed it as a significant acknowledgment of Carroll’s long-standing claims.
In a subsequent trial addressing Trump’s repeated denials, which included denigrating public statements made during his presidency in 2019, Carroll won an additional $83.3 million earlier in January. The defense argued this decision was based on the precedent set by the first jury’s conclusions, which were directed not to be contested.
The case continues to evoke strong reactions from various quarters, reflecting the polarizing nature of the high-profile legal entanglement. Arguments from Trump’s attorney highlighted purported biases and questioned the appropriateness of the witness testimonies regarding their relevance and the consistency of the judicial process.
As developments continue to unfold, the legal landscape watches closely as each proceeding potentially sets precedents for how accusations of this nature are adjudicated, particularly involving figures of significant public interest.
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