A New York jury has concluded that it is more likely than not that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed E Jean Carroll. The verdict may be a harbinger of political and legal damage to come.
While the ruling may not make a dent in Mr Trump’s base within the Republican Party, where his supporters view the US legal system with scepticism and have stood by him through all manners of adversity, it could have a lasting sting.
The response of two Republican senators highlights the risk this moment poses to his 2024 bid to regain the White House. “It has a cumulative effect,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota. “People are going to have to decide if they want to deal with all the drama.” “I don’t think he can get elected,” warned John Cornyn of Texas. “You can’t win a general election with just your base.”
In the end, Mr Trump may have been his own worst enemy in this case.
Central to Ms Carroll’s lawsuit was the former president’s deposition testimony, in which he seemed both demeaning and defensive. He explained away his infamous Access Hollywood tape boasts about grabbing women by their genitals as reflecting a historical truth about the power of celebrities - “unfortunately or fortunately”.
He said that both Ms Carroll and another woman who testified that Mr Trump sexually assaulted her were not his type - a description he also applied, voluntarily, to the female attorney conducting the deposition itself.
For a jury weighing whether Mr Trump was the kind of person capable of sexual assault - or, at least, whether he was more credible than his accuser - it was exactly the wrong attitude to present.
At the very least, this verdict is another historic first for a former president who already faces one criminal indictment and has possibly others to come.
Prosecutors may now look for ways to use the former president’s statements or previous testimony against him as effectively as Ms Carroll’s lawyer did.
The jury determined that E. Jean Carroll, who accused Donald J. Trump of rape and defamation, should be paid a total of $5 million in damages. Here is a breakdown:
The jury decided that Ms. Carroll proved by a preponderance of the evidence that Mr. Trump sexually abused her, and that she was injured by a result of his conduct. The jury decided that $2 million would fairly and adequately compensate her for her injuries.
The jury also decided that Mr. Trump should pay Ms. Carroll $20,000 in punitive damages because his conduct was “willfully or wantonly negligent, reckless, or done with a conscious disregard of the rights of Ms. Carroll, or was so reckless as to amount to such disregard.”
The jury also found that Mr. Trump defamed Ms. Carroll and that she was injured as a result of his October 2022 Truth Social post about her. They decided that she should be paid $1 million for damages unrelated to a reputation repair program, and $1.7 million for a reputation repair program only.
The jury also found that Mr. Trump “acted maliciously, out of hatred, ill will, spite, or wanton, reckless, or willful disregard of the rights of another” and that Ms. Carroll should be paid $280,000.
I don’t need to substantiate my claims Ripple, I’m not the one in court, but come on…Surely you can see what’s happening here. I know there is strong feeling against Trump, but this is not proper justice. The law was even changed in the last two days so he could be brought to book and it could happen to anybody. It just goes to show the dirty tricks and corruption there is in the corridors of power in the USA. It might even happen to someone who you approve of. This is an attack of the freedoms of the people of America to choose their next potus.
It’s as much as saying, “We the establishment will choose who the next potus will be not the people” What are they afraid of? Let it be decided at the next election.
Of course Omah, the powers that be in America rule the courts and the media, and the common people, including me, are no match for the power that they have at their disposal so I’m out of here…Believe what you will, it makes no difference in the grand scheme of things.
What about Trumps sexual attack surely it must of had detrimental effect on the victim .her freedom, and how she felt about her body.
Trump once supremely confident that he joked he could commit murder and maintain his lead over his opponents.
The sad thing is that could well be true.
Trump has been found guilty of abuse and you are making unsubstantiated claims of his innocence.
We all know Trump’s an idiot and capable of saying anything(Sorry OGF) but it’s still just her word against his.There’s no witness to it or actual proof.These civil case things are just a way of making money for the lawyers IMO
There’s certainly proof of the defamation - he posted it:
The jury also found that Mr. Trump defamed Ms. Carroll and that she was injured as a result of his October 2022 Truth Social post about her. They decided that she should be paid $1 million for damages unrelated to a reputation repair program, and $1.7 million for a reputation repair program only.
and his infamous Access Hollywood tape boasts about grabbing women by their genitals did him no favours, either.
The witch hunt continues and over 50% of American voters don’t believe a word of this. The USA judicial system is now part of the democrat political system.
