A New York jury has asked Donald Trump to pay E Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defaming her in 2019 while he was still in office.
In the decision which was reached on Friday, the jury said the defamation award is to compensate Carroll for the loss of credibility she suffered as a columnist after Trump publicly denied and challenged her accusations of sexual assault, calling her a liar.
The writer was awarded $65 million in punitive damages, $11 million for the damage to her reputation, and another $7.3 million.
Owing to the judge’s ruling that Trump had defamed Carroll, the jury only had to decide how much Trump owed her — not if he was liable.
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In 2023, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million for a separate instance of defamation and battery.
The decision was made after a jury found that the former president sexually abused the writer in a New York department store changing room 27 years ago.
In response to the latest ruling, the Trump 2024 campaign issued a statement labelling the trial a “political weapon”.
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“Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party,” the statement quoted Trump as saying.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the legal cases he’s facing are orchestrated by allies of US President Joe Biden who he seeks to unseat in the November 2024 election.
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