A federal jury in Manhattan has found former President Donald Trump liable for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll, a longtime columnist for Elle magazine, in the 1990s. The panel of six men and three women returned the verdict on Tuesday after deliberating for less than three hours. In addition to finding Trump liable for sexual assault, the jury also determined that he defamed Carroll by denying her allegations.
As a result of their decision, the jurors have ordered former President Trump to pay more than $5 million in damages to E. Jean Carroll who is now 79 years old. She filed her lawsuit against the 45th president back in 2019 claiming that he raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman fitting room during an encounter two decades earlier.
Throughout eight trial days spread over three weeks, testimonies from eleven witnesses were heard including statements from E. Jean Carroll herself as well as fellow accusers Natasha Stoynoff and Jessica Leeds who recounted incidents where they alleged being sexually assaulted by Donald Trump.
The historic ruling marks the first time that a court has held former President Trump legally responsible for sexual misconduct or defamation charges brought against him by any of his at least 26 accusers.
During her testimony at trial, Carroll stated: "Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn't happen." This denial led to her suing him initially on grounds of defamation back in late 2019 due to the negative impact this had on both her career and reputation.
In response to these accusations made public against him regarding sexual misconduct or assault cases involving numerous women over past decades – including those made by Ms.Carroll– Mr.Trump continued maintaining his innocence throughout all proceedings thus far; claiming such stories were lies created out of spite towards himself personally rather than based upon actual events which occurred between involved parties directly involved themselves within said incidents at any given time or location during their respective lives prior to present day.
As a result of the Adult Survivors Act enacted in New York, Carroll filed a second lawsuit against Trump in 2022. This new legislation allowed for her claims of battery and defamation to be brought before the courts once more as she sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages relating specifically to psychological harm experienced, loss of dignity suffered personally by herself as well overall pain endured throughout entire process along with damage inflicted upon one's own public image due solely based on negative consequences stemming directly from false statements made publicly by those accused individuals involved herein aforementioned cases such those involving President Donald J.Trump himself currently ongoing today still now even after final verdicts have already been handed down thus far however remaining subject future appeal decisions potentially occurring later years ahead depending outcome further legal actions taken both parties here within this particular matter alone.