A federal jury in New York has ordered former President Donald Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her.
The jury found that Trump had sexually abused Carroll in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s and subsequently defamed her by calling her a liar when she spoke out about the incident.
Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, first made the allegations against Trump in a 2019 article for New York magazine.
Trump immediately denied the allegations, calling Carroll a “whack job” and claiming that he had never met her.
However, a photo of the two together in the 1980s contradicted his assertion.
The jury awarded Carroll a total of $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages for the battery claim and $1 million in damages for the defamation claim.
Trump’s legal team has stated that they plan to appeal the verdict.
This case marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battles faced by the former president.
It also highlights the importance of holding public figures accountable for their actions and words, particularly when it comes to allegations of sexual misconduct.
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