Federal Appeals Court Upholds Sexual Abuse And Defamation Verdict Against Donald Trump In E. Jean Carroll Case

A federal appeals court has affirmed a jury’s $5 million sexual abuse and defamation verdict against Donald Trump, rejecting the president-elect’s effort for a new trial in the case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll.

“On review of abuse of discretion, we conclude that Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the district court erred in any of the challenged rulings,” the three appellate judges wrote. “Further, he has not carried his burden to show that any claimed error or combination claimed errors affected his substantial rights as required to warrant a new trial.”

A jury in 2023 found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in an incident at the Bergdorf-Goodman department store in 1996. The jury also found that Trump defamed her in statements he made in 2022, and awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.

Read the Trump appeals court decision.

Trump has denied Carroll’s claims, and he is likely to appeal.

In another related case, Trump was found liable for defamation against Carroll in earlier statements he made against her. Earlier this year, the jury in that case awarded Carroll $83.3 million in additional damages.

More to come.