Appeals Court Upholds $83 Million Defamation Verdict Against Trump in E. Jean Carroll Case

A federal appeals court has upheld the $83.3 million defamation verdict against President Donald Trump in the case brought by magazine writer E. Jean Carroll.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the damages awarded by a jury were “reasonable” and supported by the evidence presented at trial. The three-judge panel highlighted Trump’s repeated public attacks on Carroll, including comments made within 48 hours of an earlier jury verdict against him.

“We hold that the district court did not err in any of the challenged rulings and that the jury’s duly rendered damages awards were reasonable in light of the extraordinary and egregious facts of this case,” the panel wrote.

Carroll, a former magazine columnist, accused Trump of raping her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. Trump denied the allegations, and Carroll sued for defamation after he publicly dismissed her claims. In a 2023 case, a jury awarded her $5 million after finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. That verdict was also upheld on appeal.

The current case stems from Trump’s statements in 2019. A jury later found him liable for defamation, awarding Carroll both compensatory and punitive damages totaling $83.3 million.

Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, welcomed the appeals court’s ruling. “We look forward to an end to the appellate process so that justice will finally be done,” she said, adding that the court had affirmed Carroll’s credibility.

Trump’s legal team responded by calling the lawsuits politically motivated. “The American people stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and a swift dismissal of all of the Witch Hunts,” a spokesperson said.

The case marks another legal setback for Trump as he continues to face multiple court challenges during his second term in office.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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