NEW YORK — A federal appeals court upheld a jury verdict against former President Donald Trump, dismissing his attempt to overturn the decision finding him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. The court stated that Trump failed to demonstrate reversible error in the district court’s decisions, and hence, did not qualify for a new trial under the substantial rights requirement.
In May 2023, the jury found Trump responsible for sexually assaulting Carroll in a dressing room of the Bergdorf Goodman department store. Following her public allegations, Trump was also found to have defamed her, leading to a $5 million damage award against him.
During a separate civil proceeding, Trump faced another substantial penalty when he was ordered to compensate Carroll an additional $83 million for defamatory comments he made while president.
The appeal, spearheaded by Trump’s lawyer D. John Sauer in September, contested the admissibility of testimonies from witnesses who corroborated Carroll’s account of the events of 1996. The defense claimed these witnesses were biased against Trump. However, the appeals court found no fault in the use of their testimonies.
Trump has consistently denied Carroll’s claims, stating she fabricated the story and that he never knew her, accusations that came into the spotlight around the release of her book.
Contentious evidence at the trials included the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape from 2005, where Trump was recorded discussing his behavior towards women in derogatory terms. The appeals court noted that this evidence, combined with testimonies, suggested a credible pattern of Trump’s unsolicited and forceful advancements toward women.
In reaction to the court’s decision, Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung criticized the judicial process, claiming political motives behind the continuous legal battles against the former president. Meanwhile, Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, expressed satisfaction with the judgment, appreciating the appellate court’s detailed consideration of the case.
Adding to Trump’s existing legal woes, a recent settlement saw ABC News pay out $15 million towards a presidential library in Trump’s name. This settlement was connected to a claim regarding misleading comments made by a prominent journalist that there was a civil finding of rape against Trump, which was not accurate.
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