On Tuesday, May 9, a New York federal jury found former President Donald Trump liable for both the sexual abuse and defamation of American journalist and author Elizabeth Jean Carroll. Carroll has been awarded $5 million from the suit, which examined an incident between her and the former president decades prior.
Carroll alleged that in 1996, she was assaulted and raped by Trump in the lingerie section dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman’s, a Manhattan luxury department store. These claims were initially published in her book – “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal” – as well as in an article published in New York Magazine. Both pieces have been the subject of vehement denial since their publication in 2019, as they present graphic allegations not only against Trump, but also many other elite members of New York society.
Following the release of the book and article, Trump publicly claimed that the allegations were a “hoax” and that Carroll sought to falsify allegations in order to promote her work. Carroll had, therefore, also presented defamation claims against Trump to the federal jury.
Victims who choose to file reports of sexual assault can be frequently met with backlash and inadvertent negative consequences, ranging from job loss to being ostracized from their community. In a push to ease this process for victims, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Adult Survivors Act in May of 2022. Six months after the signing of the act, a year-long window opened in which victims of past sexual offenses who were 18 years or older when the incident occurred could file legal suits against their past abusers. These suits could be filed regardless of when the past offense occurred. It was through this act that Carroll was able to file her civil suit.
The trial for the suit began on April 25. Throughout the trial process, Trump did not appear in court, nor did the defense produce a witness to testify at trial. Trump’s deposition video and a corresponding transcript, however, were released in a court filing on Friday, May 5.
In the deposition video, Trumps is asked about past, highly controversial claims he has made on the subject of sexual assault. This included quotes from the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which the former president openly boasted about sexually assaulting women. In the deposition video, Trump brushed off these past statements and stated that stars have “historically” been allowed to commit such offenses without consequence.
Additionally, Trump was presented with a photograph taken in the late 1980s of himself, his wife Ivana, E. Jean Carroll, and Carroll’s husband John Johnson. When handed the photograph, Trump pointed to one woman in the photograph and claimed that she was his wife. He was then corrected and informed that the woman he pointed to was, in fact, E. Jean Carroll. This conflicted heavily with Trump’s repeated assertions that he could not have assaulted Carroll because she was not his “type.”
The jury’s deliberation on the subject of the claims was brief – lasting less than three hours in total. In the final decision, the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape. He was found liable, however, for sexual abuse, battery and defamation. Carroll received compensation in the amount of $2 million for the abuse and battery claims, and $3 million for the defamation claims, amounting to $5 million in total compensation.
As is the case with other legal action currently being taken against Trump, the loss of this civil suit has not affected his legal ability to run for presidency in the 2024 Presidential Election, as not even a felony conviction can disqualify a candidate. However, this has not eased the mind of the former president following the jury’s decision on Tuesday. Trump posted on Truth Social – his social media platform of choice – to protest the decision. He claimed that he did not know who Carroll is and asserted that his legal team would be appealing the decision.
The latter statement was supported by Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina. Tacopina referred to the jury’s decision as “strange,” and reported that the former president felt he could not have a fair trial in New York “due to the jury pool.”
Following the jury’s decision, Carroll expressed joy and gratitude at the legal victory she and her team had won, saying, “This victory is not just for me but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed.”
E. Jean Carroll’s suit against Donald Trump is one of many suits and indictments currently surrounding the former president. With promises of appeals, more trials on the way, and the 2024 election rapidly approaching, it remains to be seen how this sea of litigation will shape the American political landscape.
